Karas: The Guardian Fox
by SaiyanWarrior200
Summary: After the Valley Of The End, Naruto is taken by a strange girl. Three years later after Akatsuki makes it move. A unknown figure appears. He is the guardian of the world and its protector. He is...Karas. NaruSaku pairing. R&R please.
1. The New Guardian

This is something new I'm trying, it takes place after the battle at the Valley Of The End arc. After being defeated by Sasuke, Naruto is unexpectedly taken by a strange girl and is given a new task and goal in life. He will protect Konoha, he will protect the world and all its inhabitants with his new power and abilities from The Akatsuki organization and demons and strange beings known as the Mikura who hide in plain sight as humans. To truly achieve his goal, he will become a Guardian. He will become…Karas

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Karas.

Running through the area as fast as he could was a Shinobi of the Leaf Village known as Konoha. He moved as fast as he could hoping to find the two boys he was looking for and praying he wasn't too late.

Every second counted to him, Hatake Kakashi, renowed Jonin who was said thanks to the special eye he had, given to him by a friend on his deathbed years ago had mastered a thousand techniques and jutsus.

As he made his he looked up at the raining clouds and pressed on. He had to find them. And he prayed to all the gods in the world that they where both still alive.

He stopped suddenly and looked ahead and his one uncovered eye widened at what he saw.

Lying on the ground was a boy, a blond haired boy. He was unconscious and had a hole in his chest. A wound suffered no doubt by the one he was chasing after and attempt to rescue and return to their home.

"Naruto…" He said as he walked over to the unconscious boy and kneeled to him. He checked him and the boy was still alive. He was still there but barely.

"You did your best Naruto. It's not your fault. I know you wanted to save Sasuke from Orochimaru." He said to him as the boy he and four others where sent after was being taken to Orochimaru, The Snake Sannin Traitor and enemy of Konoha. He looked around and could imagine the sight as the two rivals turned friends had engaged themselves in battle. Sasuke in his desire for power had ran off to Orochimaru's grasp and Naruto had tried to stop him.

Kakashi looked down at the boy and saw the discomfort in his face, as if he was being plagued by nightmares of his failure.

Bandaging his chest and wounds Kakashi then picked him up and prepared to take him home. Who knows what would happen when he woke up?

"His place is not with Konoha…" A voice said unexpectedly. The voice surprised Kakashi and he looked around as he hadn't detected anyone else's presence here.

He turned around and saw standing in front of him a girl. The girl had appeared from nowhere and he was caught off guard. Surely he would've detected her presence yet here she was, appearing as if from thin air. As if she materialized.

He looked at her and studied her. She had white hair and weared on her head a pair of goggles with one eye open and one eye closed that had a tear falling out. Her clothes where of an odd style. She looked to be in her teens but Kakashi seeing how she appeared and by her appearance knew she was no ordinary girl.

"Naruto has a greater fate than you or anyone can imagine, Hatake Kakashi the Copy Nin of Konohagakure The Hidden Village of Leaves." She said to him and he narrowed his eye. She knew who he was and he did have a reputation but just who was this girl?

"I will take him from you." The girl said to him.

"What? You think I'm going to let you take him? Listen miss…I don't know who you are or what village you're from but this boy is hurt." Kakashi said to her defensively. "You can't just expect me to hand over-"

"You will if you don't want the world to be destroyed." She said to him and caught him off guard. "Three years from now, the world shall be endangered and if the threat is not stopped all shall be ruined." She said and he looked at her in disbelief. "Naruto shall be this world's guardian, for all the people of this world, not just Konoha. There is more going on than you can ever hope to know."

Kakashi stared at her. What was she talking about? The world being destroyed and ruined? Sure those was the threat of Orochimaru as well as those Akatsuki men but he didn't get it.

The girl walked towards him. "Naruto Uzumaki is the one who shall save this world. I alone can teach him how to harness the power that can save this world from those who seek to destroy it. Three years, that's how long this world has left if he does not stop the threat."

"I don't understand…" Kakashi said and the girl smiled.

"Trust me, This boy who I see you care about will be the one to save the world. I must teach him how to harness the power he will need in order to save it." She said to him.

Kakashi then saw to his surprise the boy levitating out of his arms and towards her. Taking him in her arms she looked at the wounded boy and gently stroked his face.

A beam of light appeared behind her and Kakashi saw what appeared to be a portal. She started to turn and enter it.

"Wait!" Kakashi called out to her and she turned around. "What, who are you? Why are you doing and telling me this?"

She smiled at him. "My name is Yurine and for the past centuries I have watched over this world like those before me. Do not worry Kakashi, I promise you will see him again in three years." She said and entered the portal.

The light flashed and disappeared and Kakashi covered his face. When he looked again he saw that it was gone and so was the girl and Naruto.

"Y-Yurine?" He said in disbelief. "So the legends where true? She does exist?" He said still not believing all that he had just witnessed.

One month later…

Blue eyes slowly opened as the occupant of the bed woke up. A light from above was beaming down upon him. His eyes opened fully and he glanced around.

The room he was in was unlike any he had ever been in. It was bathed in a golden light from above and he was on a bed. Was he in a hospital? Where in the world was he?

"Where am I…" He asked himself as he got out of the bed he was in. His clothes where still on at least that was a relief.

"So you're awake," A voice said and he wiped around and saw standing in a doorway a young girl with white hair.

"What the? Who are you? Where the heck am I?" He asked speaking in a fast tone.

"Calm yourself Naruto." She said and it caught him off guard that she knew his name. "We have much to talk about."

Naruto stared at her confusion in his eyes when a loud rumbling sound was heard. He clutched his belly and felt a hunger come over him.

"Come with me, there is food for you to have." She said and walked out the door. Hesitantly he followed her not sure if she was friend or foe.

As he followed her he looked out and saw a plain of grass and that the area was engulfed in a luminous light. As he followed her he saw what he thought where small children picking stuff in the field, but when he looked closer saw that they weren't children. They looked like monsters!

"Don't worry, they are my helpers and friends." The girl said to him "They help me pick herbs and medicine." He looked back at her and them and followed after her.

Coming to a room Naruto saw a plate filled with sushi and vegetables. She mentioned him to eat and he sat down and gripping the knife and fork began doing so. He ate hungrily and the food was alright. He could really go for a bowl of Ramen right now but anything was good.

Finish eating he thought he saw something in the mirror. He looked and his eyes widened in shock.

"My whiskers!" He shouted in disbelief and clutched at his face. "Their gone!" The whiskers that had for many years symbolized him as the vessel for the Nine Tailed fox where gone. As if they had vanished from his face.

"Kyuubi is no longer inside you Naruto." The girl said and he looked at her.

"What did you do? Where am I? Who are you?"

"My name is Yurine, like those before me I have watched over the world. This place, this is the world that lives in between your world."

"Huh?" He said not understanding. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale. He looked out again and then into the mirror and saw the scar like whiskers that where gone.

"Here," Yurine said and laid on the table an amulet. He looked at it and she spoke into it. "Pick it up and look into it." She said and he did so.

At first there was nothing there but he suddenly lurched backwards startled by what he saw.

Glaring back at him was the Nine Tailed Fox that had appeared in it. Kyuubi was inside it, the Demon Fox was sealed into the amulet.

"While you where unconscious I took the liberty of extracting Kyuubi from you and sealing him into the Amulet that you hold. You are no longer a Jinchuurki as people called you. He gave a great struggle and tried to break free during it but I managed to subdue him."

Flashes appeared in her mind as she was at the bed he was in. The room had turned a bright red The seal on Naruto's stomach had been removed and a roaring sound was heard as she using her powers and jutsu removed the Beast from him without harming the unconscious boy. Sealing him into the amulet that would house him she looked at it and saw the roaring beast struggling to break free from his new prison that he was sealed in.

Back at the present Naruto looked over it and Kyuubi was still trying to break free.

"That amulet now holds him and will be the key for you to harness his power from now on." Yurine said to him.

Naruto looked at her and the amulet. Was this all just a dream? Cause it was one of the craziest if it was. He thought back to what happened between him and Sasuke. He thought of everyone at Konoha. Iruka, Jiriaya, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Hinata, Lee, Tsunade, Sasuke…Sakura. Do they all think he was dead?

"Naruto," She said to him and he looked back at her. "I know you are thinking of your friends but there is a looming threat that is coming. Come with me." She said and walked away and he stood up and followed after her.

The two came into a large room that had many drawings on it. As he looked around he noticed that there where different carvings of animals on it. a bear, a hound, a lion, a ram, and a crow as well as many others. He stared at the crow the longest as it seemed the most recent and latest.

"Yurine, just what is going on here?" He asked her not sure what to make of all this. One minute he was facing Sasuke, the next thing he knew he was in a strange room with a girl and Kyuubi had been removed from him.

"Naruto, you are the next in a line of guardians who have protected the world for centuries. You have been chosen to be the next one." She said and he looked and saw next to the crow was a fox that was being made. Above it looked like a stone picture of him.

"In three years there will be much danger, the world will be threatened by a great power and I fear your friends and family lack the strength to defeat this menace. Only by obtaining and using the power of the guardian and becoming the next Karas can you stop this danger. I have seen it in my dreams and it is happening more often. You are the one who can save us all."

"I don't understand…" He said to her.

"All will be made clear in due time. I have three years to train you, to teach you to harness the guardians power. With the guardians power as well as Kyuubi's as well you can stop this growing threat. You can save the world."

(Save the world? But I can't even save Sasuke, how can I be expected to save the world?) He thought to himself. After what had happened Doubt was in his head. "What if I'm the wrong person, what if I screw things up and ruin everything. That's basically all I did before." He said looking down.

She placed her hands on his shoulders. "I wouldn't have chosen you Naruto Uzumaki if I didn't believe you can save us. I know you can do this. You can save your friends, you can save all those who are dear to you and the world."

(She really believes in me huh? Heck, this maybe the second chance I needed after my stunning failure. Maybe, maybe I can do it) He thought again and looked at her.

"Alright Yurine. I'll do it. I'll become the next Karas." He said to her and she nodded her head. He looked at the amulet that Kyuubi was sealed in and back at her.

"Very well, now then we have work to do." She said to him and he nodded prepared to face whatever was ahead.

Three years later…

"Is it time?" The fifteen year old blonde asked the girl who he was now taller than.

The girl nodded her head in response. "Our target is in Sunagakure. We must hurry before its too late."

"Roger."

Elsewhere…

The pink haired fifteen year old kunoichi breathed hard. There was only seconds left until the antidote she had taken weared off. She stared at the red headed puppet master who had removed his cloak and disguise revealing his true body.

She along with others had been sent to Sunagakure the Hidden Village of Sand to try and save its Kazekage, Gaara who had been abducted by the Akatsuki and attempting to extract Shukaku from him. Now she was caught in a perilous game with this deranged puppet user.

"Sasori, please stop this." His grandmother the woman who she had been fighting with against this devious puppet who had come close to killing them on several occasions.

Sakura Haruno looked at the elderly woman, Lady Chiyo and back at this puppet like man who had turned his whole body into a puppet.

"…Girl, it's time for you to die, you have twenty seconds left at the most before the antidote expires. Then I will end your human life and add you to my collection." Sasori said to her and she recoiled.

Sakura's eyes hardened as there had to be a way to defeat him. As the seconds counted down she tried to think of a plan to defeat him.

She only had ten seconds left, she had to do something fast

"One…Two…" A voice said unexpectedly that caught them off guard and the three combatants looked around.

"Three…Four…" The voice continued as it came from an unknown source.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked herself

"Is this another one of your art Deidara?" Sasori muttered to himself not sure what to make of it.

Suddenly Sakura looked at the entrance she and Chiyo had came in from and saw a fifteen year old blond standing there. She looked at him and saw he was wearing a red and black outfit and on his head she noticed was a hitai-ate with the Leaf on it. For one moment she could've sworn she saw a twelve year old blue in orange and blue in his place.

"Five…Six…" The voice kept going on. "Seven…Eight…Nine…" And it then stopped.

"N-Naru-" Sakura started to say when the voice spoke again.

"And it is ten, sway to and fro, sway…"

Watching from afar Yurine made the symbols necessary for the process to begin. "Go Karas…" She commanded.

The figure nodded. "As you wish Yurine."

Revealing an amulet, he tossed and flipped it into the air as he became surrounded by a red light. As it flew into the air you could see a snarling fox in it. He caught it with his other hand and thrust his fist forward. A series of Kanji and Symbols surrounded him and a portal appeared in front of him.

Stepping into it his body began to become covered in red and black armor that fully covered him. A mixture of armor that in some parts was as Red as fire and in others Black as coal. A katana formed in his hands covered in a sheath that was covered in a chain. A full helmet covered his face and two glowing light blue eyes appeared in the eyeholes. Emerging from the portal fully armored he leapt into and air and landed as steam came off from his body.

Sakura and Chiyo looked on in disbelief at what they where seeing. Never had they ever seen anything like this, not even Chiyo in all her years had witnessed a transformation like that.

The armored figure did a series of slashes and tossed his sword into the air and caught it.

"Eliminate him." Yurine said to him from afar and he got into a fighting stance as he faced the puppet wielder as the chain around his katana broke off and he pulled it out.

"Who is he…" Sakura said out loud not sure what to make of it. He seemed familiar. As if she knew who he was. But it couldn't be, he disappeared three years ago.

Sasori stared at the new figure with an amused look on his face.

"Alright then, since you know what I truly am I guess there's no point in keeping this disguise up." Sasori said and suddenly grinned psychotically. "I hate waiting so let's make this short!" He shouted and suddenly transformed shocking both of the women. His body had changed and had transformed into a grey colored giant scorpion and stood on two feet and was over nine feet tall dwarfing the unknown figure. "I don't transform for the average scum, so you better make it worth my while!" He shouted and roared at him.

The figure charged him and the two prepared for battle.

A/N: That's it for the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed this. Review please.


	2. Sway, To and Fro, Sway

Next chapter of Karas: The Fox Guardian. Becoming Karas and revealing himself after three years, Naruto does battle with the transformed Sasori.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Karas.

"Let's do this!" The transformed being once known as Sasori shouted his body having transformed into a humanoid cross between a giant scorpion and man.

"Come forth my puppets!" He shouted and appearing from him where several dozen puppets that he had crafted over the years and made from his past victims. Controlling them via chakra wires they fired hundreds of shuriken, kunai, and needles laced with poison at the figure.

The figure drew out his katana and deflected the attacks in the blink of an eye, the weapons ricocheting off his blade and into the wall and ground. Not a one of them came even close to his body.

"Karas, attack!" A voice came from him and he dashed. Sasori sent his puppets after him.

As if a red and black blur he dashed right past all of them and appeared right below the Scorpion. Sasori barely had time to react when he dealt a powerful punch to his jaw knocking him into the air and hitting the ceiling of the room they where in hard leaving a hard dent in it.

Sakura watching on with Chiyo gasped in disbelief at what she just saw. The unknown man who had transformed into this armored warrior having appeared from nowhere landed a blow on a foe they had trouble with and where close to being killed by.

Sasori fell and hit the ground hard with a thud. Snarling he got to his feet and glared at the red and black figure in front of him. "You…You just made a big mistake!" He roared and one of his puppets shaped like a small dragon come forth and opening its mouth spewed forth several flames from the flamethrower in it at him. The flames collided with his body and consumed him. Sasori laughed wildly and loudly thinking he had burned him to a crisp.

A pair of blue eyes appeared from the flames catching him off guard, suddenly the flames started spinning and evaporated and the armored warrior appeared unharmed whatsoever.

"WHAT?" Sasori shouted in disbelief that he hadn't been harmed one bit.

"Ungaikyo!" He shouted and spinning his katana so fast in a circle it became like a buzz saw. He launched it and the spinning blade destroyed the dragon like puppet as well as several other puppets as well tearing them apart and shredding them. He destroyed over thirty of Sasori's puppets with the attack.

Unknown to him one of his puppets had emerged from behind him and was prepared to stab him in the back with its scythe like arms. Karas caught the blade as it returned to him and not even looking blocked and cut off its arms. He then turned and delivered a brutal slash slicing it in two before it exploded into several pieces.

Sakura looked on in disbelief at what she was seeing. She felt, a part of her felt as if she knew who this man was. As if she had seen him before.

Chiyo also watching on was stunned. Not only at her grandson's transformation but also at this new figure who was facing him and making it look so easy having just destroyed over half of his collection with one attack. Sasori was perhaps the greatest puppet user who ever lived in the world of ninjas but his new transformation startled her. What had her grandson done to his own body? He had done more than just turned himself into a complete puppet.

Sasori glared at the figure and growling leapt up and stabbed his tail at him. The figure avoided it and he lunged his tail at him again and again attempting to impale him. But he could not hit him, he was simply too fast for him to land a blow on him. Roaring he lunged his tail at him and he dodged it and then charged and leapt and delivered a flying kick right into his chest area. He then followed it up with several other kicks each one stronger than the last. The last kick he delivered knocked him backwards and into the wall.

(This shouldn't be happening!) Sasori thought to himself in disbelief over what was happening. (This form he gave me, he said I was unstoppable in this form!)

He looked up and saw to his surprise him charging him with his blade drawn reacting quickly he had several of his remaining puppets surround him. He then grinned as smoke emulated from them and the figure's eyes realized what was about to happen.

"Sakura! Quick! Get back!" Chiyo shouted realizing as well and Sakura quickly followed her as the puppets detonated due to the hidden bombs he had in them.

The explosion covered the entire room sending echoes and tremors throughout it.

Not far away a blond haired figure dealing with Kakashi also felt the explosion as well.

"That's one of Sasori-danna's strongest and most risky attacks." He said to himself. "He most have been truly struggling if he blew up several of his own creations. Those two couldn't given him this much trouble." He said and avoided one of Kakashi's attacks. Kakashi also felt it as well and was also wondering what was going on.

Sasori looked at the smoke filled room and laughed believing him to be dead at last. He looked over and saw Sakura and Chiyo also alive as well and prepared to deal with them.

"Tobimizuchi!" The voice shouted from nowhere and from the smoke came a whip with a kunai at the end and stabbed him into the arm.

"WHAT! Impossible!" Sasori shouted as the smoke cleared and the figure revealed himself unharmed. Yanking hard on the whip The armored warrior pulled him right at him. Sasori attempted to crush his head with one of his now pincer like hands but he avoided it and appeared right behind him and delivered a upwards slash at him.

Sasori screamed in agony and Sakura covered her mouth as his tail had been sliced right off by him and green blood emerged from it. Sasori yelled in pain and turned and attempted to take his head off. He missed as the warrior disappeared and reappearing slashed him again this time across the back spilling more green like blood.

Sasori leapt backwards away from him and the figure prepared to do another attack. Seeing the two he devised a plan.

"Stay back!" He ordered him and revealed his remaining puppets and had them surround Sakura catching her off guard as they revealed hidden weapons aimed at her. "Stay right where you are or she dies! You maybe fast but you can't stop my puppets from killing her if you so much as take one more step towards me." He commanded him who glared at him.

"Sasori! You would stoop to such cowardly tactics!" Chiyo shouted at him and he scoffed.

He turned his head and looked at the girl and saw her staring back at him.

"Sakura…" He said and that caught her off guard.

"How do you know who I am?" She said to her self.

"Either surrender now or she dies!" He ordered and slowly the figure sheathed his sword and got into a kneeling state. Sasori laughed and one of his puppets came forth preparing to stab him with a poison blade.

The figure then raised his heard and his eyes glowed a bright blue. Disappearing in a blur he reappeared all of a sudden right in front of her surprising all of them. Swinging his katana in a horizontal angle he decapitated all of the puppets and destroyed the chakra swings that where controlling them in a instant.

Wrapping an arm around her waist he then leapt up into a different area putting her out of harms way.

"I-Impossible!" Sasori shouted and he suddenly appeared right in front of him. Before he could react he swung his katana upwards and caught off his right arm causing him to yell in pain and stagger backwards.

"End it Karas…" Yurine ordered him telling him to finish him.

Bringing his sword up before him he ran his finger across it. The amulet on his back illuminated a red light as he drew on Kyuubi's power. The blue eyes turned red

Suddenly the room darkened and then was lighted up by a moon appearing bathing the room in its light. His katana transformed suddenly into a bigger blade and became infused with energy as the full moon appeared fully in the room turning it white.

Beneath him, His shadow grew and expanded and took the shape of a fox. The shadow fox then ran off from underneath him and towards Sasori trapping him. The warrior then leapt up and across the moon several black slashes that turned into webs appeared and ensnared in the middle of it was Sasori. Looking up he saw the moon become covered by a black fox with burning red eyes. The fox let out a roar and shattered transforming back into the armored warrior.

"Hiei Zangetsu!" He shouted and doing a somersault delivered an overhead slash onto him slicing all the way through his body cutting him in half and sending him falling to the floor.

"DAMN YOU!" Sasori shouted in his last moments. "Akatsuki will kill you in the end!" He shouted and exploded in a blue light as the Scorpion of The Red Sands met his end.

The light vanished after a few moments and Sakura and Chiyo saw the armored figure land and sheath his blade which returned to normal. His eyes turned back to blue.

"Sasori…" Chiyo said as even though he had transformed himself into a monster bent on killing them, he was still her grandson. She offered a quick prayer for him to finally be at peace.

Sakura looked at the armored figure who sensing her stare turned and looked at her. Slowly she walked towards him and reached her hand to touch his helmeted face. He didn't stop her but he did appear to stiffen as her hand was close to his.

"Naru-" She started to say when a voice interrupted

"Karas!" A voice said and she turned and saw a white haired girl wearing goggles standing in the entrance. "Our time here is finished. We must head back now." She said to him and he nodded and went over to her.

"Karas?" Sakura repeated to herself and saw them get ready to leave. "W-Wait! Just who are you?"

Yurine turned and looked at her. "You must hurry, Gaara doesn't have much longer left. Also, the boy who are looking for is at one of the Snake's hidden bases in Grass as of now. Go there and you will find him." She said to them

"Boy…you mean Sasuke?" Sakura asked her and she turned around again. A portal appeared and both her and the armored figure known as Karas entered it and disappeared.

"Come Sakura we must hurry." Chiyo said to her.

"Sasori's dead. I better report this." Deidara muttered having sensed what had happened as he had lost his other arm in the fight due to Kakashi's Sharingan eye. "We'll finish this later!" He called out to him. "Next time your will be involved in my latest masterpiece!" He said and fled the area surprising Kakashi who couldn't stop him.

Soon Sakura and Chiyo as well as Gaara's siblings arrived. Gaara it seemed was too far gone but Chiyo made the ultimate sacrifice and resurrected him at the cost of her own by using a Jutsu. Restoring him to the land of the living.

Later The remaining members of Team 7 as well as their friends and allies left Suna and headed back. Preparing to head back to Konoha.

Of them all, Sakura Haruno didn't say anything. What happened back there? Just who was that person who appeared. For the moment she saw him before he changed into his armor and confronted Sasori.

(Just who is he and that girl? Karas? Is he, could he possibly be…Naruto?) She thought to herself as they made their way back home.

Elsewhere…

"Sasori has been killed?" The shadowy figure said to the bomber.

"Yes sir." He said communicating him via to his ring and he appeared before him in a holographic vision. "I don't know how, I don't see how those two could've defeated him but I sensed it shortly ago. Sasori was killed and it seemed he was defeated rather easily too. I checked and there was nothing left. By the look of it he even transformed for that battle. Someone else must've intervened."

"Did he get his ring?" The man asked him and Deidara shrugged his shoulders and mentioned his lack of arms. "I see…my apologies for asking that. Zetsu shall find it, and Kakuzu shall reattach your arms for you. Whoever this new wildcard is he shall be dealt with."

"Hai…" Deidara said with a bow.

At the hidden Akatsuki base the Leader of the organization sat on his throne and pondered what just happened. Sasori had been transformed, as well as a number of others in the organization and should've been unstoppable. Far beyond the ability of an old woman and Leaf Chunin.

No matter…whoever did this would pay and pay dearly for daring to interfere.

Not far from the room having heard it all in secret a masked figure listened in intently.

"So Yurine," He said to himself. "You have revealed and chosen your new Karas and how fitting who he is." He said darkly. The wretched girl intended to stop him from fulfilling his goal of domination and obtaining godhood. "No matter, you or your new guardian cannot stop me. It's only a matter of time before the world is mine…"

A/N: That's it for this chapter review please


	3. The Mikura and Nue

The next chapter of Karas: The Guardian Fox. After successfully defeating Sasori, Naruto in his new role is given another task by Yurine and learns more of the growing threat. Also, a new arrival with a bone to pick with the one who transformed him makes his appearance. I just want to note that the Mikura in this are different than what they where in Karas.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Karas.

The blond haired fifteen year old stand in the center of the grass fields collecting herbs and plants that would be useful in helping create medicine used by the inhabitants of the world. Helping him out where several small youkai who looked like old women the size of children who picked the plants and gave them to him.

"Wow, that's a nice bundle." Naruto said and collected them and put them in the bag he had slung around his shoulder. "Thank you all of you, with this we can help a lot of people." He said to them all and they smiled at him and he patted the top of the head of the one nearest to him.

Seated down watching on from the building, Yurine watched as he talked with them. The boy had been changed from what he had been before. Before he was brash, outspoken, and prone to doing things without thinking. She in teaching how had curbed that brashness in him and he was much more calm and patient than before.

It had been five days since the defeat of Sasori, They had returned here and Yurine was waiting for the next move and could sense it was getting close. She looked back at him and thought of what happened between him and that girl back there. The Kunoichi had nearly called him by his name and nearly touched his face.

She winced a bit. The girl was a part of Naruto's life as a human. However this was something that could not be allowed. Naruto could not let his past life interfere with his duties as Karas. If he was to save the world, he must not let things such as his past interfere with him. She watched him and could tell that he possibly wanted to go back to his life as a human and as a Shinobi.

"It is a cruel gift, being a Karas. Moving on past everyone you knew about. However if this world is to survive, it is something he must accept. Naruto's will to live on after his battle with Sasuke and near death draw me to him." She said to herself. "Once a person is chosen to become Karas, there is only one way to leave it."

A pair of footsteps echoed behind her and she turned her head and saw a toad like being walking towards her. One of Gamabunta's kin by the look of it and a messenger. The brown skinned toad walked towards her and whispered into her ear. Her eyes widened slightly at what he was saying.

"Are you certain?" She asked him and he nodded. Her face turned into one of concern.

"He also is attempting to create them? He must be put to an stop at once." She and looked back at Naruto who was still working with the helpers

Elsewhere…

"It took me a long while to make these, the design was difficult and a pain to operate right but I did it." The weapon shop owner said placing two items on the counter in front of the man who appeared to be in his twenties.

"Thanks man, I really appreciate this." He said and picked one of the items up and nodded as they where designed the way he wanted them to be and coated in a gold color.

"It's unlike any weapon I've ever had built and designed. That one there you put kunai in and the other one you put shuriken in and pull the trigger to release. Just like you asked me to design. Each can fire ten before you have to reload." He said and the figure nodded in approval. He wore blue pants and a red long sleeved shirt with a white jacket over it. He had red hair set up in dreadlocks with a green headband covering his forehead and weared glasses that where a yellow color. On his back he had a guitar case that he carried

"This place has technology that's advanced beyond everywhere else, these are just like the weapons used by the Sky Country ninjas." He said looking at them.

"Unfornuately due to the cost of getting the supplies and resources to develop them I'm afraid it will cost more than we had agreed upon."

"No sweat." The man said and pulling a wallet out of his pocket gave him a couple hundred dollars. "Keep the change." He told him and picked the other one up.

"You some kind of ninja?" The shop owner asked and he let out a laugh.

"Me? A ninja, that's a good one. No, I'm just what you call a drifter…thanks again." He said and putting them away exited the shop.

Heading outside he let out a cough as the air had gotten chilly. "Get's cold pretty quick here even if this place is no longer named Snow Country." He muttered and looked around the place. The people passed him by and paid him no attention going about their daily lives.

"Humans," He said in amusement. "Their such an interesting species. Fortunately they do have their benefits." He said as he spotted a train that the village had.

Sneaking aboard he got on top of the roof of it and soon the train started to move and go heading to its destination. He let out a yawn and laid down closing his eyes not being bothered as the train started to pick up speed and go faster taking him to his next destination.

Meanwhile…

"Kappa, Kamaitachi, Wanyudo, Oni? Argh, there's nothing in this one either!" The pink haired girl said angrily and closing the book tossed it aside alongside a pair of other books that she had gone through. Frowning she grabbed another book that was entitled Demons and Gods of the Past World and opened it.

Ever since returning from Suna and surviving the battle against Sasori, Sakura Haruno had spent nearly all her time at the library trying to look up what had happened back there. "Karas…" She repeated the name as that was what that girl had called him. She was almost one hundred percent sure that the figure was in fact Naruto Uzumaki, her former teammate who was believed by Konoha to have run off and disappear after his failure to bring back Sasuke Uchiha.

A large part of her had felt horrible after what happened. How she had begged him to bring their former friend back. As if he couldn't bear to show his face to them after failing to bring him back to Konoha, he had ran off. He was classified as a missing nin but despite the efforts of the ANBU who looked for him. No one in the past three years had seen neither hide nor hair of the once orange wearing knuckleheaded self proclaimed future Hokage. As if he had vanished into thin air. He was pronounced as either missing or possibly dead.

Until what had happened five days ago during the desperate rescue mission and fight against Sasori. That figure had appeared and transformed and made short work of The Puppet Master and Akatsuki was now down one member.

"Hey forehead girl!" A voice shouted and Sakura turned her head and saw a blond haired girl in a purple outfit walking towards here. "There you are, I've been wondering why I haven't seen you these past couple of days. Wanna go shopping?" Ino Yamanaka her former rival and best friend asked her.

"Sorry Ino, but I'm busy right now. Maybe later." Sakura replied to her and she looked at one of the books what she was reading.

"Ancient Gods and Messengers? You actually read this junk?" Ino scoffed at her. "And here I thought you was suppose to be smart." She said and left the room.

Sakura frowned at her and watched her go. Turning the page she then saw what she was looking for.

"Here it is!" She said outloud as she saw the page and on it was an illustration as well. On it was an armored figure in black that had a sword. Behind the figure was a female figure who had catlike traits.

"Karas, The Guardian. Karas is a mythical being that serves as the world's guardian. A Karas is believed to be a person who possesses a great will of justice and desire to save someone even at the brink of death. This draws the Youkai Priestess who watches over the world, Yurine to him who appoints him as the guardian of the world. Usually The Symbol for a Karas is a Raven or Crow but can be other animals." She said reading it. "Karas possesses abilities far beyond those of normal humans including super speed, swordsmanship, teleportation, chakra control, and many others. They are controlled by Yurine who allows the selected person to be able to transform into Karas. Yurine is known as the watcher and has a hidden cat like tail that she hides. She watches over the world and if sees a Dangerous threat that appears and threatens it she will summon Karas to eliminate the threat." She said reading it. She looked at the drawn illustration that appeared on the page and thought back to what she had saw back at Suna. She turned the page but found there was no other information.

"That's it? That's all there is?" She said in disbelief that it was so short. That was hardly any information at all. It wasn't really helping her.

A poof of smoke appeared beside her and interrupted her thoughts. She turned her head and saw her sensei standing there.

"Kakashi-sensei?" She asked him and he nodded at here.

"Our scouts have analyzed the data you told us about and found out there is a hidden base in Grass that belongs to Orochimaru." He told her. "Reports are also saying…that Sasuke has been seen there as well."

"Really?" Sakura said snapping the book shut and standing up.

He nodded in response. "The Hokage Tsunade is planning on sending a team to infiltrate Grass and discover the base and what is going on there. Sakura, along with one of Danzo's ROOT Shinobi who fill a spot in our team, us and Team 8 with their tracking abilities will be sent."

"We will?" She asked excitedly and he held out his hands to calm her down.

"Easy Sakura this is just a investigation mission. Stealth is of vital importance during it. There is a chance we will meet Sasuke. Remember he is now a missing nin and we don't know what's happened to him ever since he joined Orochimaru. If we should meet him, I want you to control yourself. Don't think of him as your ex-teammate think of him as a potential enemy. I know it will be hard." He said to her.

Sakura nodded understanding. "Hai Kakashi-sensei. I'll do my best. I promise I'll keep myself under control." She said to him and he nodded.

"Alright, we'll be leaving tomorrow. Get your stuff and supplies ready, we'll be heading into dangerous territory and can't risk any mistakes." He said to her and disappeared in another poof of smoke.

Sakura tightened her fists and strengthened her resolve.

(I'll find him, I'll bring him back. And then I'll find you and bring you back as well so we can be united again)

In a Hidden Base…

"Arghhh!" A man said in an ominous voice full of frustration and anger. "Why can't I make this work? How did he do it? I've experimented on over two hundred people this past year alone and ninety percent of them are dead!" He said snarling angrily as he glared down at the table that had the remains of the subject that had died. "How did he do it? He did it perfectly transforming a human into those beasts of destruction. I saw him do it on Kakuzu and he survived the process! And I can't even replicate one damn copy!" He said and upturned the table spilling the remains to the floor.

The door to the room opened and in stepped a servant of his. "Master," He said and looked at the dead body. "I hate to say it but I fear the project has failed. None can withstand it and the remaining ones that are still alive will probably be dead in a few days." He said to him shaking his head.

The man glared at the glasses wearing white haired ninja. "No, continue the research. If I can create just one, it would be worth a hundred shinobi by itself. With five hundred of them I could easily conquer the world! How did he do it? He never gave me any details of how to do it. Damn bastard left me in the dark." He spat angrily and crossed his hands over his chest.

Suddenly he began to feel a great pain in his arms. He looked at them and saw them start to decay to his horror.

"Kabu- Ahhh! Do it!" He shouted out in pain and the medic quickly rushed over to him and doing a series of hand symbols performed a jutsu as his own hands turned a purple color and pressed them on his. Slowly the hands returned to normal and stopped decaying. Clutching them into a fist he hissed in anger. That jutsu he used would allow him to temporary use his arms but it had to be done once every month or they would go back to their useless state they where in due to The Third sealing them. He thought he had regained their use when he transferred bodies but that was only for a temporary time he found out. Once he transferred again, with the body he planned on using that would be strong enough he would no longer be effected by the Sealing.

And he already had the body he wanted in mind…

"Shouldn't we at least wait until we have a breakthrough before we try again on the next batch? Only the strongest ones have survived the process and that was only for a few hours at first. Now they last three days at the most." The medic asked him and he growled in response

"No…if this army that I've spent eight years working on succeeds. I'd have an unstoppable army. If they can just keep from dying no one not even HIM could stop me." He said to him and he nodded.

The door to the room opened again and a black haired ninja with blue eyes entered the room. He stared at the remains with a look of disgust at the sight of it and then back up at the pale man.

"Ah I see, so you're ready to continue." He said to him. "Very well, let's us continue where we left off in your training."

Elsewhere…

Naruto Uzumaki finished with his duties for the day was in the room he had. It was night now in the place he was at. His and Yurine's home along with the youkai helpers that lived there and helped them out.

He was on his bed and looking out the window. On his desk was the amulet that housed Kyuubi. Three years, that's how long it had been since Kyuubi had been extracted from him. The scars that once showed on his face where now gone.

"Naruto…" A voice said and he turned and saw Yurine standing in the doorway. The girl was dressed in her usual outfit. He stood up at once and she examined him. "The enemy we are dealing with and who you must face is a powerful foe. He has perfected the art of turning ordinary people into terrible and destructive beasts. Like your battle with the Puppet User. They are known as the Mikura."

"Mikura?" He repeated.

"Yes, once human beings who where tricked and turned into blood thirsty beings. Neither human like yourself nor a being such as I and others like the Summons nor others. They hide themselves as regular humans to hide their nature. They are slaves to his power as they most drain blood from their victims in order to live. They are pitiful souls. By defeating their creator can the world be saved. But as of now you are not ready to defeat him." She said to him.

Naruto nodded at her understanding.

"Many of the group that calls themselves Akatsuki are Mikura in disguise having been transformed by him. They are his pawns and even the leader of the organization is unaware he is only being used. They are looking for the vessels and the Tailed Beasts that contain them in order to extract them. Fortunately only I and I alone can unleash Kyuubi from the amulet that houses him."

Naruto looked at the amulet and saw a flash of Kyuubi's face still trying to break free.

"There is also a task I want you to do. Another is also trying to create Mikaru seeking power as well. His plans have failed so far and many innocents have died and I can sense their souls crying out. If he is also able to create his own Mikaru he would wreak havoc across the world. For that he must be stopped before it is too late."

"Who is he?"

"You know him well, his name is Orochimaru…"

Naruto's eyes hardened in anger and he remembered all the things he had done. Including to him and his friends before. What he did to Sasuke that caused their fight.

"Come we must head to his base that he is doing it at and destroy it." She said to him. Naruto nodded and grabbing his amulet went to join her.

Riding on the roof of the train that neared its destination, the red haired figure woke up and slipped his glasses back on. Letting out a yawn he stretched a bit and looked ahead at the nearby town. The sun wasn't even up yet.

"Finally, the ride was terrible and there was no room service." He muttered and slung his guitar case over his shoulder again. Standing up he walked over to the edge quietly and saw that there was nobody around as it neared it.

"This is my drop off. Thanks for the ride." He said and leapt off and landed on his feet. Cracking his neck a bit he then headed into the town.

"He's here, I can sense it." He said to himself. Walking through the empty streets he spotted a couple, a man and a woman walking not far from him. "Bingo…" He said and secretly followed them.

"Yasaki are you sure about this?" The girl asked as she was being lead. "We shouldn't be out this early.

"Hey it's no problem. No one's able to see us. Besides, there's something I want to show you." The man said to her and took her by the hand and lead her into an alleyway.

"Yasaki! What are you doing? We shouldn't be here." She said to him.

"You worry too much you know that." He said and continued leading her. The alleyway started to become much darker and it started to scare the girl but still he kept taking her down it.

Having enough she attempted to yank her arm free. "Stop it Yasaki! This is far enough!" She said struggling to get free.

"What's the problem?" He said irritation in his voice

"I don't want to be here, take me home right-" She was then slugged across the face and knocked out to the floor.

"Stupid girl, asking too many questions." He said his voice turning into a growl and becoming more guttural as his face cringed up into a more beastial like appearance. "Still your blood should be delicious if it tastes as pretty as well." He said snarling.

"Hey!" A voice called out surprising him. He turned and saw a figure standing in the alleyway. "Didn't anyone tell you a real man never strikes a lady?"

"Who the hell are you?" The man said to him his features starting to change.

"Oh c'mon don't tell me you forgot who I am. I'm insulted and a bit hurt you don't remember me." He said with a frown. "I was one of his first projects after all."

The man's face lit up in realization. "You!" He roared and his figures started to change. The glasses wearing man wiped out his two gold colored gun like weapons and fired multiple shuriken and kunai at him hitting him and piercing his skin. The Mikura roared and then turned and ran down the alley.

"They didn't nickname me Nue The Crimson Kunai for nothing during my Jonin days." The figure said to his surprise the figure appeared in front of him and reached out and grabbed him by the face and added pressure. The left side of the man's face was crushed and he roared in agony revealing his true form as a minor Mikura who clutched his face in pain. Knowing he couldn't beat him. The Mikura saw an chance to escape and swatting at him ineffectively leapt up ontop of a building and into a nearby hole in the ground that lead into the sewers of the town crashing through a lid.

The red headed figure checked on the girl and aside from the bruise on her face was fine. Picking her up he put her on a bench in the middle of the town where she would be found shortly.

Putting his weapons away Nue stopped and looked at the object that was in his hand. It was the eyeball of him that he had ripped out of the socket. Crushing it in his hands he started to head out when he saw another sewer lid. He looked down and could sense that the Mikura was almost daring him to come down and chase him.

"Yeah right, you think I'm going to waste my time and chase after you a D class Mikura? I got bigger fish to fry!" Nue said shouting down.

Deep below having heard his taunt the wounded Mikura growled in fury at what had happened. "Damn you! I swear I'll-" He started to say.

"That is none of your business." A voice said and he turned and was meet with a fist that impaled through his chest killing him instantly. The former Mikura thrashed about for a moment and then stopped and fell into the water its blood spewing.

The masked killer looked up and sensed that Nue had left.

"So Nue, you've returned after all these years and decided to hide your true self to the world? You'll pay for what you did. I don't take betrayal lightly at all."

A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.


	4. Reunion with Sasuke

Next chapter of Karas: The Guardian Fox. Heading to Orochimaru's secret base in Grass Country. Sakura, Kakashi, and the others are hoping to find their former comrade. However they are unaware of what is going on there as Naruto prepares to eliminate his experiments there.

Disclaimer: I don't own either Karas or Naruto.

The way was slow and steady with a hint of cautiousness as the leaf squads made their way through the area. The going was dangerous as they where in unknown territory and it was possible they where being watched. So far their had been no danger and they hoped to keep it that way.

Sakura Haruno looked at her sensei who was walking in front of the group. With them was Team 8, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame with their sensei Kurenai Yuuhi. The team where experts at tracking and had been sent with them. Nothing had come from them so far and both Kiba and his dog Akamaru would occasionally sniff the air to detect any scent and Shino had his bugs out as well.

Also with them was a quiet black haired boy who had a ninjato strapped to his back. The boy didn't speak much and when he did it was in a tone with little emotion. He was known as Sai as that was his codename and he was one of the ninjas from ROOT.

Finally, also with them was an Leaf nin who like Kakashi and Kurenai was a Jonin that had been sent with the group. He was known as Yamato.

Sakura looked at the group as all of them made their way. Kakashi suddenly called for a halt and they stopped.

"The Tenchi Bridge." Kakashi said to them. "Tenzo," He said calling Yamato by his other name. "You're up. This is where Sasori was suppose to be meeting with a spy."

Yamato nodded and doing a series of hand symbols did a jutsu and his appearance changed into that of the former Puppet Master. He then donned another outfit similar to the Haruko getup that Sasori had worn in disguise

"How do I look?" He asked them. To Sakura he looked just like the man who had turned his body into a puppet and nearly killed her and Lady Chiyo.

"The Spy should be here soon. Go and wait for him and talk to him." Kakashi said and he nodded and moved ahead while the rest of them stayed hidden.

The disguised ninja made his way up to the bridge and crossed it. Sensing a presence nearby he stopped and waited for a few minutes when he felt something.

"Sasori-sama…" A voice said and he turned and saw a kneeled figure standing behind him having appeared just then.

He had grey white hair and was wearing glasses as well. On his head was a hitai-ate with a sound note on it. The figure kneeled before him and looked up at him his expression one of hypnotism.

Yamato in the disguise nodded as they had figured it out that Sasori had a spy in Orochimaru's forces. But he didn't expect it to be this man.

Sakura watching from afar recognized that ninja anywhere. "Kabuto!" She said as she knew him. He was a spy and he betrayed the Leaf Village. Had turned on them and joined Orochimaru helping him with his attempted attack three years ago.

Kakashi patted her on the arm mentioning her to stay calm. "So, he is not only a spy for Orochimaru but also a spy for Akatsuki has well." He said as they saw the disguised ninja mentioning for him to stand.

"Tell me what you have for me Kabuto." Yamato commanded doing a perfect imitation of Sasori's voice.

"As you wish." Kabuto Yakushi said to him and began giving him details about what The Snake Sannin was planning.

Yamato in the getup nodded his head. They could use this information to use against him. "I hear The Snake is planning another strike on the Leaf. Is that true?" He asked trying to get more information

"No Sasori-sama, not what I know of. He doesn't trust me enough for something like that. He lacks the power to attack them again. Only when he finally transfers his body to The Uchiha's would he even think about attacking them again." Kabuto said his voice blank as he spoke to him.

"Hmmm, I see."

"Sasori-sama I've heard rumors recently."

"Oh?" He asked back and for a moment Yamato hesitated.

"Yes, strange rumors that a two man team attacked Sunagakure. There was reports saying they tried to take the Kazekage's life and killed many Sand nins."

"Hmph, must've been one of the others in Akatsuki. The fools with their lack of appreciation for art tried to blow our cover it seems. Well then, I must go now."

"Wait Sasori-sama!" Kabuto said and that caught him off guard. "I will be speaking with Orochimaru soon. If you wait a bit I can return with even more information for you. In five hours I can speak with you again."

Yamato looked back at him. "You know how I feel about waiting Kabuto. I must report back soon."

"It won't take too long I hope, I should be back within at least two hours if it doesn't go long. I may find information that maybe of extreme importance to you."

"…Alright, report back here in two hours and tell me what you discover. Now go. I'll do some undercover work and find out what's going on here as well with my puppets." Yamato commanded him as he sensed that the man was under complete control of whatever Sasori had done to him.

"Hai Sasori-sama." Kabuto said and disappeared. Yamato made his way back to the others and disposing of the getup turned back to his original self. Telling Kakashi and the others about what had happened and how he wanted to meet with him again in a few hours.

"Hmmm, I don't like it. This could be a trap to lure you in." Kakashi said his arms folded across his chest.

"Maybe but he didn't show any sign or hint at deception. Whatever Sasori had used to mind control him must have worked very well. Still in effect even after his death. This could be our opportunity to find out what else he is planning and strike a blow towards Orochimaru."

Kakashi nodded but there was the risk that this could be an ambush. "I don't like it but I believe it would be best for the next hour that we split up and look around. Kurenai, you take Hinata and Kiba. Yamato you take Shino and Sai with you. Me and Sakura will also look around as well. If you encounter anyone who's a possible enemy don't try to fight them, just retreat as fast as you can and find us. All of you stay on guard and keep yourself from being detected. Make sure you keep your chakra low and undetectable. We'll meet up here in a hour from now." He said to them giving commands at what they will do.

The three teams split up and each went in a different direction.

Along the way Sai who was with Yamato and Shino stopped at one point. "Yamato-sensei, if it doesn't trouble you, I will go in a different direction from here on." He said to them. "It would be of benefit to us if we do split up and the fact that I'm an ANBU and member of ROOT means I can avoid detection easier."

Yamato looked at him staring at the emotionless boy. He really wasn't keen on the idea of splitting them up but the boy was skillful and indeed. Danzo wouldn't have sent one of his own ninja if he didn't believe they would succeed. "Alright but don't stray too far. I don't want you doing anything foolish." He told him and the boy nodded and went off in another direction.

Darting his way through the boy then went to put his master's plan into action.

Meanwhile…

"KuKuKu…it appears we have some rats in our walls." The black haired man said ominously as his servant reported to him.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama. They are here, ninjas from the leaf. Under the guise of Sasori who meet with me." Kabuto said to him who was seated far from where they had meet.

"So Tsunade has sent some vermin here has she? It appears that despite my best attempts to hide my tracks they have find one of my bases, how interesting." Orochimaru said putting a hand to his face with a grin.

"What shall we do Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto asked him. Slowly his grin turned into a wicked smile that promised destruction.

"You shall meet with them again and this time they shall be lured into a false sense of security. Then, I will unleash my Mikura upon them. I'm eager to test the new subjects out and see how they perform."

Kabuto's face scrunched up into one of disgust. "Sir are you sure about that? The Mikura are highly unstable and many of those left will probably be dead soon enough. They may try to attack us as well as them."

Orochimaru didn't look at him. "It doesn't matter. I look to see how they perform and where I can improve on them. At the most, we can expect them to kill a few of the Leaf nins and weaken Konoha. Head to their holding cells and release them into the forest before you meet with them." He ordered him.

"As you command sir." Kabuto said to him and disappeared in a flash.

Orochimaru turned his head and looked over at the quiet boy seated behind from a distance from him. "Aren't you at the least interested Sasuke? Some of these leaf nins might be your former friends from Konoha and the Academy. Don't you wish to see them before they possibly die?" He asked him. Sasuke Uchiha didn't say a word in response. The last of the Uchiha clan stared into the distance not saying anything. "Hmmm, so you have broken all ties with them after all have you?" Orochimaru said to him.

"No matter, you won't have the power to defeat him if you rely on past bonds." He said and for a moment Sasuke's face flinched in anger at his words. He tightened the grip on the blade he had with him.

Orochimaru chuckled again eager to see what would happen.

"Nothing, there's nothing here at all!" Kiba Inuzuka said a half hour later as he along with his sensei and Hinata had found nothing. Standing on his side was Akamaru the full grown dog sniffing the air.

"Keep your voice down." Kurenai scolded her student at his short temper.

"Y-Yes, it-it's a good thing w-we haven't found any trouble." Hinata said to him as well.

"Bah," Kiba responded when suddenly Akamaru raised his head up in alert and let out a bark. "Huh? What's wrong Akamaru?" He said to it as it sniffed the air. He sniffed as well but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "I don't smell anything. What do you see boy?" The dog barked again and then suddenly ran off. "Hey!" Kiba shouted in annoyance at it and tried to give chase after it.

"What's g-gotten in-into Akamaru?" Hinata asked Kurenai and she shook her head.

Walking through the forest where two people, one a blond haired figure the other a white haired girl who weared goggles on her head. The two where looking for something as well.

Suddenly to their surprise they heard barking. Turning around they turned and saw a large dog running towards them. To the blond, the dog seemed familiar almost. The dog stopped in front of them and panted and let out a friendly bark as he shook his tail happily.

The female reached out her hand and stroked his head and the dog playfully licked her hand as the dog sensed she wasn't human but he could detect a cat like scent on her. He looked at the boy and cocked his head staring at him a bit of confusion on his face. He sniffed him curiously as the scent was familiar to the dog. The dog grinned as best he could and leapt up and licked his face startling him.

The dog barked happily as it licked him recognizing him after three years. The boy stroke his fur and scratched him behind his ear.

"Akamaru!" A voice shouted and the dog turned and saw his partner running towards him. He then looked back and saw that the two where gone and he looked to see where they had gone.

"There you are!" Kiba shouted tackling him. "What's gotten into you? Why'd you run off like that?" He said trying to restrain him. Akamaru barked at him trying to tell him what he saw. "What? There's people here?" He said and looked around but couldn't see or smell anyone. "There's no one here boy. You must've smelled a bird or something. C'mon let's go back." He said to him and tried to take him back. Akamaru woofed at him in annoyance and attempted to look around. "Will you can't this out? No one's here!" He said in annoyance as he picked him up around the waist and carried the stubborn dog. Akamaru let out a couple low growls towards him.

"HEY! Watch your mouth!"

The hour was almost up and Kakashi and Sakura where getting ready to head back to the spot they would meet up at. So far they found nothing out of the ordinary and was prepared to meet back with the others.

After meeting up with them Kakashi noticed that one of them was absent.

"Yamato, where's Sai?" He asked him. "He was suppose to be with you."

"He said he wanted to split up and go in another direction. The boy can take care of himself." Yamato said to him and he frowned under his mask.

Elsewhere…

"So, Danzo really does want to ally himself with me to destroy Konoha?" Orochimaru asked the ninja in front of him at the base they where at.

"Hai, Danzo-sama shall give you access to ROOT and its ninja in return for your aid. Together the two of you shall destroy The Leaf Village." Sai said to him in a kneeling position.

"KuKuKu…that old war hawk is still alive and kicking eh? And eager for war as usual. Very well." Orochimaru said to him as with them where Kabuto and Sasuke. "You can work with Sasuke. I suppose you can get along with him pretty well." He said and Sai looked into the emotionless eyes that he had. Eyes that startled him and also sent fear into the usual stoic boy.

"Our guests will be meeting with me soon. I suppose I should get everything ready. Allow me to show you where you can stay for now." Kabuto said and prepared to leave.

"Wait!" Sai said to him. "It would be better if I meet with them. I can lure then in deeper and prevent them from escaping. If you meet them at the usual spot you was going too, there is a chance they could escape. By luring them in, I can make sure that when the trap is sprung none will be able to get away."

"Hmmm, I like it. You have a rather devious mind behind that calm mask you wear." Orochimaru said to him. "Very well go back to them and lure them in closer. We'll meet with you in the hour."

"As you command Orochimaru-sama." Sai said and left.

Orochimaru leaned back in his chair he was seated in and grinned.

"Do you trust him?" Kabuto asked.

"Of course not, send the Mikura out, now. It is time we go as well."

Kabuto headed to the dungeon rooms where they where kept and opened the secret entrance the room had they would lead them outside. Glancing at the hideous beasts in disgust he watched as they lumbered out preparing to head into the forest.

"Where were you Sai?" Kakashi asked the boy who had just returned.

"I had just found out where Orochimaru's base was at Senpai." He said to him. "I discovered it during my switch and I found out that the spy won't be able to meet up with us here."

"What? What do you mean?"

"He was placed on guard duty by him and told to patrol a certain area until sunset."

"You saw him?"

"No, I was able to use one of my bird drawings to eves drop figure out what was going on. The spy Kabuto won't be able to meet with Yamato. But there is a path I discovered that we can take that would lead us to him that I don't think any of them know about. The Snake appeared to be concerned as it appeared there was something very important going on there."

"I don't know about this." Kurenai said to them finding it suspicious.

"Trust me," Sai said and smiled his usual smile. "We may find out what is going on."

Kakashi didn't say anything but looked at him. Suddenly they heard a loud noise that drew all of their attention.

They turned and all of their eyes widened when they saw lumbering out of the woods a large number of beings. "W-What the hell?" Kiba shouted at what they saw. A majority of them stood over six feet tall and many of them seemed more beast like and their all large feral looking that had claws. The strange creatures lumbered towards them and they numbered thirty in total.

"What in the world are they?" Kakashi said getting into a stance.

"I don't know but if I was that ugly, I'd be mad too." Yamato said getting into one as well as the beasts approached them.

Sakura looked at them and for a moment was reminded of what happened back in Suna with Sasori.

"Some of Orochimaru's experiments by the look of it." Kakashi said as they emerged and appeared towards them. The leader of the group let out a roar which was taken up by the others as they advanced. "Run!" Kakashi shouted and the group run and ran across the Tenchi bridge. The creatures chased after them as well. Kakashi seeing this turned and leaping into the air did hand symbols and fired a fireball at the bridge. The bridge exploded in flames and collapsed and fell down as well as a few of the beasts sending them to their deaths.

Sakura turned her head back and saw those that had got across and a few of them on flames. To her shock and disgust the creatures turned on their wounded and attacked them ripping them apart. A part of her wanted to throw up after that but she kept going.

The group ran and using chakra increased their speed to evade the strange creatures. They managed to put some distance between them and they started to fade from behind losing sight of them.

"Rawr!" A voice shouted and emerging from the trees was another of them that was prepared to attack Kakashi.

"Watch out!" Yamato shouted and shoved him out of the way and the beast's claw hit him in the face nearly shredding it. The group called out in shock at what just happened except for Kakashi as suddenly Yamato's body turned into wood and Yamato appeared.

Yamato suddenly did hand symbols and activating a jutsu surrounded the beast with wood like pillars that entrapped it. The beast roared and tried to break free but remained trapped by it and they suppressed its energy.

"Wood Style." Yamato explained to them as it trapped them. "That should hold him for a while."

"Just what kind of monster is it?" Kiba asked as they stared at the struggling creature.

"I don't know but whatever it is, there's more of them." Kakashi said to them.

An evil laugh suddenly echoed throughout the woods. "KuKuKu, how do you like my Mikura?" The voice said and they turned and saw the owner of it. Standing on a cliff looking down on them was…

"Orochimaru!" Kakashi shouted as the traitor to the Leaf looked down on them.

Sakura looked as well and saw someone standing beside him as well.

"S-Sasuke!" Sakura shouted as he was with him. After three years she had finally seen him.

"What a reunion this is." Orochimaru cackled darkly. He then looked at Yamato who stiffened when he saw him. "Ah, I see. So one of them did survive after all. The DNA of The First Hokage that's in your veins."

Yamato glared at him remembering what had been done to him.

"Sasuke," Sakura said to him. "Please, come down here. I…I want you back with us." She said to him in a pleading tone. Sasuke didn't say anything as he looked at her. "Please, let us be a team again." She begged him.

"He's too far gone my dear girl. He doesn't need you anymore." Orochimaru taunted her. "As long as he has power, the power I'll give him to kill Itachi with. He'll no need of bonds or friendship." He said with a cackle.

"No…" Sakura said in a whisper.

"Naruto's dead Sakura." Sasuke said to her. "Seeing how he's not here, I suppose the wounds I inflicted on him where too severe. The Dobe tried to bring me back and failed, and if you try as well I won't spare you either." He said to her and she saw in his eyes, nothing. Just an void filled with emptiness.

Roars where heard and they saw the beasts emerging and starting to gain on them.

"What have you done?" Kakashi said to him and he cackled.

"These are the newest experiments that I've been working on. They are the Mikura. I've experimented on them for the past eight years. These are prototypes if you can call them that. They are unstable and highly dangerous as I have yet to fully perfect them. Once I do I shall create a new army, one powerful enough to conquer Konoha, and then the world."

"You monster!" Yamato said to him anger in his eyes. "How many have you experimented on to create them. How many infants have you killed so you can create these mindless monstrosities!"

Orochimaru only grinned as they surrounded them. "It doesn't matter to you. After all you shall be dead soon enough. But don't worry Yamato, you will be spared as I plan on using you. You'd be a perfect new body for me if I hadn't already made my choice. But I still plan on making some use out of you." He said with a grin and then turned to the other boy. "As for you Sai, did you really believe I would trust Danzo? Your head will be sent back to him. Right now my Mikura are hungry and desire blood."

The Mikura surrounded them and prepared to attack. The Leaf nins looked on as they got ready for a desperate battle.

Far away nearly two hundred yards on a branch in a tree looking through a scope was a red haired figure with glasses. Taking aim he got ready to fire a strange weapon he carried that was longer than the dual weapons he carried at the Uchiha who he had in his sights.

"I got nothing against you or anything Sasuke. But I ain't letting him use you the same way he did me. You're a key part of his plans." Nue said as he got ready to pull the trigger and take him out.

Suddenly an explosion happened that surprised them and from a distance smoke and fire filled the air.

"What?" Orochimaru shouted and turned a look of fury on his face. The explosion came from his base. Looking at the destruction in anger he snarled in fury. Who did such a thing. A poof of smoke appeared next to him and appearing was Kabuto who had a rare look of panic on his face. "What happened Kabuto!" He demanded from him.

"I don't know, something happened. Someone appeared and the next thing I know there was an-" Kabuto said when a voice cut him off.

"One, Two, Three…" A female voice went into the air and could be heard.

Nue having seen it as well and hearing the voice knew what it meant. "Karas." He muttered. "He's here." He said and quickly left.

"Four, Five, Six, Seven," The voice continued and they looked around for the source of it.

"It's happening again." Sakura said remembering what had happened.

Orochimaru also wasn't appearing to be fazed by it. "So…it does exist." He muttered recognizing the incantation.

"Eight, Nine, and it is Ten." The voice said. "Sway, to and fro, sway!"

At the ruined base Yurine was shown standing in the ruins finishing the preparations. "Do it now, Karas!"

A figure leapt into the air and suddenly was surrounded by a bright light. The light blinded them and the Mikura. The light dissipated all of a sudden and dropping down in front of the Mikura was an figure in red and black armor wielding a Katana and his and face covered with a helmet as well.

The unexpected appearance shocked the Leaf nins as well as Kabuto and Sasuke at this mysterious figure. Only Orochimaru who had heard of it appeared to be unconcerned with him.

"Naruto…" Sakura said in a whisper believing it to be him.

The Mikura roared at him and one of then charged him foolishly. The figure disappeared and reappeared behind him. The Mikura then fell apart its entire body slashed all over and body parts cut off.

"Show me Naruto," Yurine said commanding him from afar. "Whether or not your power can save this world!"

A/N: That's it for this chapter review please.


	5. The Guardian and The Uchiha

Next chapter of Karas: The Guardian Fox. Naruto does battle with Orochimaru's Mikura. However an event happens that risks exposing himself to them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A scream went up into the air as another one of Orochimaru's Mikura charged the unknown armored figure. The experiment charged him and he responded by slicing through the beast with his katana splitting it in two and spilling its contents onto the ground.

"Did you see that? He cut through that thing like it was paper!" Kiba Inuzuka shouted as he and the rest of the Leaf nins looked on. The group had appeared to have been surrounded and trapped by them but the strange arrival of this warrior had turned the tide.

"Who is he? Where did he come from?" Kakashi asked as they watched on. Sakura next to him didn't say anything as she was replaying the events that happened with Sasori when he first appeared over in her mind.

The Mikura surrounded the figure outnumbering him by twenty as the experiments moved to attack him.

"Enough of this," Orochimaru said in disgust. "Mikura! Slaughter him at once!" He ordered commanding them to attack.

Three of them who seemed similar to Kappa fired attacks made of water at him from their mouths. Karas deflected the attacks with his sword and despite the rapid fire of the attacks easily blocked and deflected them. He then disappeared startling the Three Mikura.

"Shiranui!" A voice shouted and The Mikura fell apart slashes all over their body and Karas appeared behind them.

"I-Impossible!" Kabuto said disbelief in his eyes at what he just did. How did he move so fast? What kind of ninja was this person!

Sasuke standing next to him and Orochimaru didn't say anything except silently activating his Sharingan in an attempt to track his movements. As he watched him he could not help but feel that it was as he knew who this person was.

The Mikura rushed him and he leapt up and over them. One charged him and he tosses his sword into the air. He evaded the attacks easily and responded with attacks of his own. A series of punches followed up with a pair of kicks that send it flying into a tree that it crashed through. He then caught his spiraling sword and turned around and decapitated a Mikura that was behind him spilling green blood from its headless body.

The Mikura fired at him with their own attacks and he responded by sticking his sword into the ground and doing hand symbols formed a seal around him. He slammed his hand into the ground and raised the earth and blocked the attacks. He then leapt over and charged into the fray with his Katana out.

Howls and cries went up from The Mikura as he went right through them, slashing and slicing his way through them. Cutting off body parts and spilling blood from them in a mere blink of an eye, appearing one moment and then appearing somewhere else the next as he was too fast for them to block or stop his attacks.

"No! Our Mikura, their being ripped apart like nothing!" Kabuto shouted as over half of them had been wiped out just like that. He looked over and saw that Orochimaru almost seemed amused by what he was seeing. As if he was enjoying the spectacle.

"How interesting. The powers of Karas, granted to him by the priestess Yurine. After all this time the myths were true." He said with a grin as he seemed unconcerned that his experiments that he had worked on where being killed. "Watch closely Kabuto, you may learn something today, about our new guest as well as to strengthen the next batch of Mikura we create."

Kabuto looked at him and then back at the one sided fight.

Kakashi watching on with the others looked on and saw one of the Mikura that had been sliced in half was desperately devouring its dead ally next to it. Eating its remains and the blood even though it itself didn't have much longer to live. The mindless demon like creature then suddenly started to regrew its body parts. Regaining the use of its legs that sprouted out of him it stood up and roared.

(By draining blood they strengthen themselves. Even recovering wounds that should be fatal) He thought to himself as he remembered after he destroyed the bridge earlier they attacked their own wounded and killed them. (These…things are little more than mindless demons! They drain blood from their own kind and I bet humans as well so they can continue living.) He thought knowing that this information could be important to The Leaf.

Sakura watched on as well and saw the armored warrior being surrounded and about to be rushed from behind by one. He seemed unaware of it as well.

"N-Naruto watch out!" She shouted unable to stop herself and the group stared at her in disbelief at what she just said.

"What did you just call him?" Kakashi said to her and she looked at him and turned her head.

Sasuke heard it as well and that caught him off guard at what she just said and he turned his attention fully to her.

Karas disappeared and reappeared behind all of them.

"End it Karas…" Yurine commanded and the beads that held up her hair in ponytails glowed.

Karas started to spin his blade like he had done against the battle with Sasori, spinning it in a circle so that it became a buzz saw like projectile. He then launched the Katana at them.

"Zan Ei Jin!" He shouted and disappeared in a blur as well as the blade.

Suddenly there was glowing circles and flashes and the remaining Mikura cried out in agony and pain as they where slashed apart as he moving at super human speed cut through them all with his Katana. It seemed as if they just fell apart as he was too fast for them to stop as he cut through them all.

Karas reappeared and sheathed his blade as the ground was littered with dead Mikura.

"NO! He destroyed all of them!" Kabuto shouted in disbelief at what he saw. Thirty Mikura their had been and now there was none of them left. Single handily he had wiped them all out. Not one of them was able to even land a blow on him.

He was unaware of the figure on his left leaping down past him.

Karas looked at the bodies when he sensed a threat.

"Chidori!" Sasuke shouted activating his attack as the sound of many birds chirping was heard and he thrusted his hand filled with electricity at him. Karas dodged the attack and Sasuke's fist impaled a dead Mikura spewing his contents even further.

"Who are you?" Sasuke demanded from him and he didn't respond. "Just who or what are you?" He demanded and he wasn't answering.

Naruto looking on in the armor saw his former rival. He made no move to attack him or even defend himself.

"Where did you gain that power? What are you?" Sasuke shouted and doing hand symbols fired a Great Fireball at him. He avoided it and Sasuke did another series of hand symbols and taking a deep breath fired a fireball at him.

"Ungaikyo!" Karas said and bringing his blade back out spinned it and deflected the flames sending them elsewhere.

"Tell me who you are!" Sasuke said pulling out his own sword that he possessed as he glared at him. When no answer came Sasuke responded by doing another Jutsu this one a bolt of lightning at him from it and again he deflected the attack with his blade.

"Sasuke…" Sakura said watching them. They seemed mirror images almost. The armored figure hadn't spoken a word at all whilst Sasuke was angrily yelling at him.

Yurine from afar went to go to the area they was at as she knew what was going on with Naruto.

Sasuke attacked again this time with a stab filled with chakra but Karas blocked the attack with his Katana and in the blink of an eye deflected and knocked the blade out of his hands and sending it up to the air where it landed and stuck into the ground behind him.

Naruto his blade pointed at him drew it back and sheathed it. He made no move to fight back and had only defended himself

"You've changed haven't you?" Sasuke said to him. "You're different from what you was three years ago?" He said as he had attacked him in order to find out who he was. "I thought you died, did you disappear and train yourself these past three years for this? Do you still plan on bringing me back to Konoha? You still are a dobe if you think you can." He said to him and he didn't respond at all to him.

"Can it be? Can it really be him?" Kakashi said to himself with the others. First Sakura's exclamation and now with the way Sasuke was speaking to him. He replayed what happened in his mind three years ago. The finding of the boy's wounded body, the mysterious girl's appearance. Did it all lead up to this?

"If you will not answer me, than I will kill you and find out for myself who you are." Sasuke said to him and he still didn't respond. Anger that he wouldn't respond he got ready to prepare another attack.

"Well done, I wouldn't expect anything less from the one who killed Sasori!" A voice said and Karas turned around and was meet with a Kusanagi blade that sliced through his helmet as Orochimaru had used this opportunity to attack him by extending his tongue and slashing at him from overhead.

"N-NO!" Sakura shouted at what just happened as he had attacked him. Orochimaru landing on the ground slithered the tongue and blade back into his mouth a look of pure madness on his face.

Part of the helmet broke off as it slowly fell off having been damaged by the attack. Pieces fell off and blond hair was revealed as well as a blue eye.

"What?" Yamato said as they got a look at his face that was half covered and half exposed.

"No way, it can't be him." Kiba said in shock as he and the others recognized him.

The figure reached up and removed the other half of the helmet that covered his face, revealing a fifteen year old with the leaf hitai-ate strapped across his forehead.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted. Next to her Hinata had fainted falling to the ground in disbelief at what she had seen.

Naruto Uzumaki stood there his face fully revealed. Sasuke looked on disbelief on his face at what he saw standing in front of him as he joined with Orochimaru. "Sasuke, I still haven't forgotten that promise I made." He said to him.

Sasuke sneered at him. "You still believe you can bring me back? It's too late Naruto, I won't let you or anyone stop me from fulfilling what I must do! Not even with this new power you have."

Naruto didn't say anything and Orochimaru cackled.

"After all these years I have the opportunity to see a Karas with my own eyes. I still remember that foolish look in your eyes three years ago in the Forest of Death. You've grown haven't you boy?" He said to him. "And I see you lack a few scars on your face now." He said as he looked at his face.

Kakashi and the others looked as well and saw that they where gone! The whisker like scars he had once where gone. "Their gone, but how? How did Kyuubi get extracted from him?" He muttered to himself.

"I must thank you for killing Sasori boy, Akatsuki is an annoyance to my plans of dominance. Kill more of them and the world shall easily fall into my hands. By then I'll have obtained both the Sharingan as well as immortality. You've also given me more clues as to how to construct my Mikura. You may have destroyed them easily enough but the next ones shall be twice as powerful."

"Orochimaru!" A beam of light appeared and standing in front of Naruto was a white haired girl with her hair hold up in two ponytails by beads wearing black. A cat like tail was also shown as well hanging from her skirt.

Kakashi instantly remembered her. She was the one who took Naruto.

"Yurine, The Cat like Youkai Priestess who watches over the world…" Orochimaru mused with a grin as at his side was Kabuto and Sasuke as well.

Yurine didn't say anything pressing her hand to Naruto's face and reformed his helmet masking his face.

"If you and your new guardian pet fox stand in my way, I won't hesitate killing a priestess." He said to her. He then grinned and suddenly Sakura and the others where surrounded and trapped by several large poisonous snakes. "Stand down or they die…"

To everyone's surprise her fingers glowed and Sasuke and Kabuto where lifted up and surrounded by a white light. The two struggled but found themselves unable to move.

"Although my duty is to watch over the world I will not be threatened. Threaten me and I will take the lives of your assistant and apprentice as neither I nor the world shall bow to the whim of tyrants such as yourself or others." She said warningly as she was not powerless like most would assume. She was indeed powerful but due to her task as being a watcher could only use it sparingly .

Orochimaru glared at the girl and the snakes that surrounded The Leaf nins disappeared as he couldn't risk losing them. Yurine's fingers stopped glowing and Sasuke and Kabuto dropped to the ground.

"Sasuke, Kabuto, we'll leave now. This isn't the end." He said to them and Sasuke glanced over at Naruto before leaving with them.

Yurine looked over at Naruto who she saw staring at the others who seemed unsure what just happened.

"Karas it is time." She said and he nodded. Like before a portal appeared and they entered it and left heading back.

The Leaf nins recovered and looked around. They where gone and they could still see smoke coming from the ruins of the base.

"Well I guess we should head back. We gotta tell Tsunade what happened." Kakashi said as he looked around.

"Hey Kakashi!" Yamato shouted as he stood next to the Mikura he had trapped earlier. "This one's still full. We can take it back and examine it. See just what is going on here. How he managed to create this Mikura or whatever their called." He said as he saw that it was dead as well and it looked like it had been suffered a wound in the neck from afar.

"Good idea. Use your wood style to form a cage to carry it in and we'll create some clones to carry it back to Konoha. Oh and Sakura…" He said turning his attention to the pink haired girl.

"Yes?" She asked him.

"I want to talk to you in private with Sai…" He said to her and she nodded as they got ready to head back.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.


	6. Akatsuki's next plan

Next chapter of Karas: The Guardian Fox. Akatsuki discusses recent events and the newest member of the organization to replace the deceased Sasori while Kakashi talks with Sakura and Sai. Meanwhile, Nue who so far is an enigma in the unfolding events meets a boy who takes a liking to him.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Karas.

"There's been a lot of action going on lately. First the death of Sasori and now word is that the Snake has also been experimenting as well." The Akatsuki leader said as the group was having a meeting at one of their hideouts. None where there personally as they where communicating via their rings they all had.

Standing next to a missing nin from Konoha was a blue skinned ninja with shark like features who borne the hitai-ate of Mist with a slash through it. "Heh, Sasori was over confident if you asked me. He thought he was invincible. He might still be with us if Deidara had lent him a hand." Kisame Hoshigaki said grinning.

The terrorist scowled at him as his arms had been reattached to his body. "Oh yeah, I'm busy keeping our true forms a secret and losing my arms while he's off trying to create everlasting art and purposely revealing his true form to everyone." He said in annoyance. Standing next to him was the newest member and his teammate who had replaced Sasori. The figure worn a orange mask covering his face and had his hair sticking out of it and weared the ring that Sasori used to wear as well.

Standing next to a white haired ninja wielding a scythe a figure with four masks sewed to his back laughed. "Heh, I'm willing to bet half my fortune that I collected from bounties that both you and Sasori would've been killed if you engaged Karas." The Bounty Hunter Kakuzu said drawing a glare from him.

"Why you…!" Deidara said and his features started to change getting angry at his remarks.

"Enough, all of you." The Akatsuki leader commanded not wanting the group to bicker. "Karas, Yurine's new chosen warrior. That meddling priestess, she still believes this world can be saved."

"This Karas is different from the rest though," The blue haired woman standing next to him said. "He uses Kyuubi's power to transform as she extracted it from and was once the vessel to it. Clearly if she can do such a thing neither she nor Karas are meant to be taken lightly. Naruto Uzumaki son of The Yellow Flash and The Red Hanbero." Konan said to them all.

"Indeed if she where to use her powers for us we would have an easier time extracting and sealing the bijuu." He said with a shake of his head.

Hidan smirked unimpressed. "I ain't scared of no cat girl or her fuckin' crow. Let me deal with Karas, I'll put a stop to his interference right now." He said an evil look in his eyes.

"Karas can be dealt with as we please, already even as we speak he's engaged in battle with another Mikura high above." He said and a large crystal ball appeared in the room showing an image. Looking on the group watched what was happening.

High above in the clouds above a city that was unaware of the fight going on Naruto clad in his Karas armor was on the back of a giant vulture like being that seemed a cross between a bird and goblin. The Tengu Mikura had been preying on the city and other villages below it masquerading as a hermit before swooping its prey out of the air. It was prepared to swipe another victim when Naruto appeared and the fight took to the skies.

The giant beast roared and tried to dislodge him but he held on to it. Getting his katana out he stabbed it in the back and the Tengu roared as he pulled out the blade covered in green blood.

The Mikura did a spin and he held on to its back to keep from falling off. He ran the spikes he had on his gauntlets into it and began to climb his way upwards aiming for its head. Climbing up he pulled out his Katana prepared to decapitate it.

The Tengu sensed it and did a barrel roll that caught him off guard and dislodged him.

He was falling and fast through the night sky. He then heard a roar and saw the Mikura diving down at him mouth open preparing to engulf him. Using his agility he evaded the attack. The Tengu batted its wings and sent great gusts of wind at him. He covered himself to protect him as the two were falling.

If anyone in the city looked up above they would've seen the figures fighting in the moonlight. The Mikura dashed at him again snapping at him and he avoided the attack. He did hand symbols suddenly and a bright seal appeared below him, Naruto fell through it and glowed as he suddenly transformed.

In his place was a black jet. The jet was actually him, as he had transformed and could now fly as well. The engines flared to life and burst into light and he flew up after The Tengu. This surprised the Mikura catching it off guard.

The two soared through the skies Naruto in pursuit of it. He then fired blasts of energy at it and the Tengu roared in pain. The beast turned and sent great bursts of wind at it but had no effect on him. Shurikens he responded with and the ninja stars hit it and then exploded dealing further damage to it. He flew up past the and then into another seal transforming back to his armored form. His form appeared in the moonlight as the blue eyed guardian fell down

The Tengu looked up and opened his maw intending to eat him.

However Naruto fired a kunai with a chain wrapped around it at it and the chain snapped its mouth shut and prevented it from opening it. He landed on the creature and wrapping the chain around its throat despite its attempts to shake him off. He stabbed his katana into its neck and forced it to go downwards in a spiral. The Mikura struggled to break free but couldn't escape and he forced it to land hard a few miles outside of the city. A great cloud of dust went up into the air due to the impact of it.

When the dust was gone Naruto stood up and saw the Tengu still alive, though wounded and green blood spilling out of it as well.

He brought his Katana up and ran his finger across it as the Kyuubi amulet set off a red light in response and his eyes turned red. As the area darkened and was then brightened as a moon appeared his blade grew and transformed into a bigger blade as the area due to the moonlight was now bathed in a white color.

His shadow grew and taking the form of a fox ran towards the Mikura trapping it. He then leapt up and several slashes appeared across the moon revealing itself to be a web and in the middle of it was the Tengu. The moon turning darker became covered by a black red eyed fox with nine tails that then roared and shattered back into Naruto.

"Hiei Zangetsu!" He shouted and delivered an overhead slash into the Tengu who roared as it was sliced in half. The Mikura exploded in a blaze of light.

Back at the city Naruto was seen perched on top of a building next to a gargoyle as his eyes turned back to blue. The armor disappeared and standing in Karas's place was the blond haired boy.

"He's just as powerful as we thought, maybe even more so…" The Akatsuki leader said as it ended.

Itachi Uchiha looked at the image and then back at them. "He is powerful and a dangerous foe. Every time he uses the power of Karas he'll grow stronger as he unlocks more abilities. He's killed Sasori and destroyed Orochimaru's own Mikura that he was working on. Truly Yurine chose well…we should have taken him when we had the chance when he and Sasuke fought at the Valley Of The End." He muttered. "The Guardian's power infused with the Nine Tailed Fox, if he learns to combine the two of them fully he may be unstoppable."

"Hmph, in that case we hit him hard now! Let's draw him out and trap him and put an end to him immediately!" Kisame said with a growl.

The leader raised his hand mentioning him to be silent. "No…our first priority is The Tailed Beasts. Not some meddling Crow. Hidan! Kakuzu!" He ordered and the two looked at him. "Head to Kumo at once, find and capture the two tailed vessel. Kisame! You and Itachi shall locate the Four Tailed Monkey vessel. Deidara! Tobi!" He said as well. "Find the location where the Three Tailed Turtle Demon is residing at and capture the beast. Defeat it and bring it here!" He ordered them.

"Yes sir!" Tobi said giving him a salute.

"Now go!" He commanded and slowly the six Akatsuki members faded away. "Zetsu…" He ordered and the flytrap like ninja looked at him. "Go and see what our old comrade is doing. Find out what it is Nue is doing here." He ordered him. Zetsu nodded and disappeared as well.

Konan looked over at Pein and he sensed her glance. He looked at her and for a moment his features softened and he smiled at her although it was hidden due to the projected image "Do not fear Konan, I will remain in control. Nothing shall stop us from achieving our goal. If Yurine chose's to oppose us then I will have no choice but to show her the true power that a god possesses."

Konan nodded and the two left as well

At Konoha…

"Alright Sakura, Sai…We have much to talk about." Kakashi said to the two as they where at the training grounds. They along with Team 8 and Yamato had returned and had brought with them the body of the strange creature that Orochimaru had been working on and that had created quite a buzz amongst the village. Particularly the Council especially Danzo wanted to see just what it was.

He looked over at the two, his student and the silent boy. He knew they both saw what had happened there in Grass.

"Naruto…is back it looks like. He is not dead although that information is being kept a secret from the rest of the village." He said and Sakura nodded. "I hide the fact that he had been taken by that girl Yurine back at The Valley Of The End after his fight with Sasuke as even I didn't believe what I just saw. But the important thing is, is that we discuss what went down there. Sai, what was it Orochimaru was talking about when he mentioned Danzo."

The artist didn't say anything but then slowly spoke up. "My task when I was assigned to go with you was to infiltrate Orochimaru's base and make him think I would join up with him. A mole if you can call me that. During that time I was to find Sasuke and kill him."

"What?" Sakura said looking at him.

"He is a traitor, he betrayed the Leaf Village and all of us. In Danzo's eyes death is something he deserves. My task was to kill him."

"I see…" Kakashi said to him.

"Why?" Sakura asked him. "Why would you do that? Don't you know what we've been trying to do?"

He looked at her and his face was empty. "I only know what Danzo tells me and the rest of ROOT. We don't allow our emotions to get the best of us, that is why we are so skilled because we cut off all our feelings towards people."

Sakura stared at him. "You mean you don't feel anything? Not even the bonds of friendship?"

"Bonds?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, bonds!" She said thinking she might get something out of him. "When we were younger Team 7 formed a bond after all that we did. At first we hated each other cause I was a little more than a naïve fan girl back then who only wanted Sasuke's attention. But gradually we became friends who looked out after one another." She said and an image of the three in their younger days appeared in her mind back when they were Genins. "I want to save Sasuke, and so does Naruto I can tell. That's why he tried to bring him back three years ago despite what happened. I don't know about Yurine or Karas but I can tell the reason he disappeared three years ago was to get stronger so he could save him."

"He left Konoha as well…" Sai pointed out and she shook her head.

"No…he saved me back at Suna from Sasori. And when I saw his face he still was wearing the Hitai-ate he always wore. Sai, I don't know you and your past is probably none of my business but haven't you at least felt anything at all, a drop of friendship towards anybody?" She asked him.

Sai didn't say anything but for a moment he remembered in the back of his mind the image of a younger him sketching something on a pad. Next to him was a older ninja and the two of them where smiling as they looked at what he drew.

"Sai?" Sakura's voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to look at her.

He didn't respond instead he remained quiet but it looked like she had struck a nerve.

"Okay that's enough for now. Sakura, I'm sure Tsunade wants to see us and know what went down there. And Sai, I'm also certain that Danzo wants to hear your report as well." Kakashi said to them interrupting them.

Sakura nodded at him and stood up beside him.

"Sai, we'll see you later." He said to them and they went through the trees to head into the village.

They made it there within minutes and slowed their run into a walk. Along the way they passed Ichiraku's Ramen Bar.

Inside the restaurant was a young man wearing glasses seating down and eating his bowl of ramen. He watched them go and looked up recognizing them from before.

"Heh, they are still alive. I guess Karas really did a number on those wannabe Mikura." Nue said to himself as he watched them head towards The Hokage residence.

The drifter had made his own way to Konoha shortly after sensing Karas was going to appear. Wanting to not get involved with the guardian he made a hasty exit and came to Konoha. He snuck in easily enough and blended in with the civilians.

Eating his food calmly he thought of what had been going on. Why he had come back after so long after he had ran away. He had some unfinished business to take care of and here was as good place as any to make start.

Finishing his meal he tossed the owner of the place a tip and left. He walked through the village not paying attention or being acknowledged by the civilians.

He did however sense that he had been followed as of late.

"Hey!" He said as he crossed a small bridge and turned around. He saw a blur and knew that whatever had been tracking him had disappeared.

"How long do you plan on following me?" He called out as the only thing that was nearby was a group of trash cans and turned around and continued walking paying no attention to it. "It's only a matter of time before your illusion you have around yourself drops and people see you in your true form." He said and continued walking

Behind him from a distance a strange snail creature the size of a small child wearing what looked like a yellow raincoat materialized and watched him go. He faded again and took off trying to keep up with him finding him interesting.

"Danzo-sama that is all that happened." Sai said kneeling in front of an old man.

The old man nodded his head as the boy finished his details to him. "Hmmm, so the attempt to end The Uchiha's life failed, how unfortunate." He said to him.

"Please forgive me for my failure." Sai said to him. Danzo the old man picked up his cane and walked towards him.

"Normally I would demote you for failing your task but you did well." He said to him catching him off guard. "You have brought us a possible powerful weapon that I can use." He said to him referring to the beast that had been brought back with them. "I am very curious as to what Orochimaru was working on and if we can reverse engineer it we can possibly create our own. That makes up for the mission Sai." He said to him.

Sai looked up at the one eyed man who was in charge of ROOT and often handled the most deadliest missions and tasks for Konoha. Sai, the youngest of the group was also the most skillful.

"I believe that if we can find out how he made them, we can make out own and develop a powerful weapon for Konoha to protect itself from its enemies and other villages. I am pleased with your unexpected results."

Sai nodded. "Danzo-sama, I was wondering, if it was alright with you. I would like to join Team 7 as a more permanent member. There is something I wish to learn." He asked boldly but expected him to say no.

"Hmmm," He said and stroked his chin. "Very well, I grant you your request. I have few tasks for you as of now. You may join Kakashi's team. But remember, you report to me." He said surprising Sai.

"Thank you master, I am grateful for this." He said with a bow and Danzo waved and told him to leave. Sai left his chambers leaving the old war hawk alone.

Danzo looked at the sketch that he had drew him of the Mikura that Orochimaru had created and they had brought back. He was very intrigued by this, and desired also to learn how to create one.

Yurine was at their home in the other world, the cat girl despite looking like a teenager was several hundred of years old. She was talking with a toad like messenger. It was a different color than the other one she had seen.

She finished talking with it and it left heading back to see the Toad Chief. She glanced over at Naruto and saw him standing against the corner of the wall flipping the amulet up into the air and catching it.

A memory appeared in her mind as she looked at him…

"_You want my help?" The white haired Sannin said to her as she had materialized out of thin air in front of him as he was reading one of his novels. The two where in a forest and she had appeared in front of him._

"_I could use the aid of one with a network such as yourself Jiriaya." She said to him as it was three years previous. "You know of the group Akatsuki." She told him and he nodded having heard of them. His former friend and teammate that he had cherished was once a part of that group. "I want you to use that network and inform me whenever they make a move." She told him._

_Jiriaya looked at Yurine as he knew who she was. She embodied the will of the world or so the tales said. He had guessed when he heard that Naruto had disappeared that she had a hand in it. He revered her with a bit more respect than most females he ogled like Tsunade. Besides, she wasn't big enough in certain areas or curvy enough for him to write about. Also the fact that she being a priestess and in charge of watching over the world could probably find some way to inflict severe pain on him if she found out what he was doing._

"_So, you're training the boy. I was going to do so myself when he came back but I can tell he'd be in good hands. The new Karas has been chosen eh?" He said as he looked up from his novel._

"_I want you to use your network and inform me of any growing threats. Akatsuki, it's leader, even Orochimaru are all planning on making strides to gain control of the world through force. I want you to use your network and then inform me. Naruto's training shall be completed by then and he'll be ready to combat them."_

"_Hmmm, alright. I guess I got no choice really. I can tell Tsunade that I'm leaving for three years while I'm setting it up and informing you. Just promise me, promise me that the boy will be alright and that I'll see him again." He said to her._

_She smiled at him. "I thank you Jiriaya, you have earned the title that you carry with you. Inform me whenever they make their first move." She said to him and disappeared._

She looked back at Naruto knowing what he was thinking about. He was thinking about what happened back in Grass. The reunion with his friends and former teammates.

"Naruto," She said to him and he looked at her. "You mustn't allow yourself and your thoughts to be focused on what happened back there."

"I know, it's just…those where the two people I cared most about."

She touched his face and he looked at her. Yurine's hand was soft to the touch. For a moment Naruto envisioned Sakura in her place.

"If you truly wish to save them you must defeat Akatsuki and its true leader. They are the key threat to the world. But…Sasuke is already gone so far. He will spend any attempt he gets at killing you the next time you meet one another. For in his blood runs the Uchiha and the Uchiha, like all the clansmen and their ancestors believe that they are the most powerful in the world and refuse to accept being usurped by another in power. It is their pride, and their flaw that has lead to their downfall." She said to him.

Naruto remembered looking at his eyes back then. There was nothing in them. Except a cold icy hate.

"The Akatsuki will be making another move soon. Get some rest, for we must be prepared to combat them." She told him and walked away.

The next day on the road to Konoha a caravan of wagons escorting a princess of one of the small Counties where traveling on the road. The day was wet and rainy as their had been a downpour for several hours and they were an hour away from the Leaf village.

One of the guards who was walking in front suddenly felt something pull at his leg. He stopped all of a sudden and looked and saw a vine had ensnared his leg.

Looking at in in curiosity he was suddenly grabbed by the other leg by another vine and before he could even register what was going on was pulled down into the ground right in front of his companions.

"What the? What just happened!" Another guard called out when he too was pulled down into the ground by unknown vines.

"Bandits! Protect the princess!" The guards said circling the wagon she was in thinking they where under attack.

Far below, the half colored plant like creature cackled darkly. He was in the mood for some good food.

Another guard felt something pull around his leg and was started to be pulled down as well. He cried out and his comrades grabbed him by the arms trying to save him. Suddenly dozens of more vines with thorns emerged and batted them aside and pulled the screaming man down.

"Who's doing such a thing? Where are they?" A man ask frightened when a vine wrapped around his throat and lifted him up and snapped his neck. His comrades could only watch in horror as his body in an instant was shriveled up and appeared as if drained of all fluids and tossed aside.

The guards had a look of petrified fear on their face when they where grabbed by vines and they too suffered the same fate.

The Princess in the wagon had heard the ruckus and was wondering what was going on. She hesitantly looked out and gasped when she saw the bodies. Suddenly the wagon was lifted up into the air and she cried out in fear. Strong vines had lifted it up and dangled it in midair

"You'll make a tasty treat." A voice said and she turned and screamed as she saw a golden eyed monster with a venus flytrap like head with half his skin black and the other half white standing in front of the wagon. Blood was on his lips from his previous meals.

The princess screamed and fainted in terror as he started to advance. Zetsu licked his lips savoring the coming meal.

Suddenly something hit him in the chest area. Several Kunai and Shuriken hit him in the back fired from afar. He roared in surprise and pain and he dropped the wagon which landed with a crash.

Zetsu turned and looked and saw a red headed figure leap over him and fire more shots at him. The attacks hit him and penetrated his flesh as he was caught off guard.

"Nue!" He roared in fury seeing him. The glasses wearing figure landed on the wagon and aimed his weapons at him. "You dare to turn your weapons against me?" He said in fury.

"I do more than dare Zetsu. I'm taking you out!" Nue shouted in response and fired more shots at him. Zetsu dodged the attacks and backed up while Nue threw the unconscious princess over his shoulder and aimed at him.

"If he didn't desire you and need you for his plan I swear I would kill you myself!" He said to him. "Transform Nue! Show me your true power!" He shouted to him and Nue glared at him.

"Do you still hate the form he gave you?" Zetsu asked him. "Do you still believe you can return to being a human? That your disguise will stay on forever. You can't hide what's inside you!" He shouted at him and Nue snarled at him as slowly his own features showed signs of changing.

"I will take you back to him myself!" Zetsu shouted and his own body started to transform into a larger specimen.

"You should be worrying more about him than me right now Zetsu." Nue said to him and he looked at him not understanding. He then looked up and saw a black armored figure with a katana.

"Karas!" Zetsu shouted and Naruto dashed towards him and drew his Katana. He then slashed at him and Zetsu roared as Nue leapt away and disappeared just as he slashed.

An explosion covered the area and smoke filled the sky from it.

Not far away, Nue leaned against a tree as he had moved out of the way just in the nick of time. The princess was on the other side of the tree and would be fine.

"Damn, that was kinda close." He said and looked at his leg. It had been cut during it and green blood was spilling out. That wasn't good.

He looked around the area and noticed that both Zetsu and Naruto where gone. He could sense what had happened.

"What a little chicken." He said with a snicker as Zetsu had used the explosion to cover his tracks and had fled not daring to face him. "I guess he ran away…"

Oh yeah, things where getting much more interesting now.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.


	7. Closer to the goal

Next chapter of Karas The Fox Guardian. Akatsuki seeks to continue its goal of conquest by going after the Tailed Beasts. Sasuke also seeks power determined to fulfill his goal.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

At the Slums of Konoha the red haired glasses wearing figure leaned against a wall and slumped down. The guitar case he had that carried his gear was next to him. He winced in pain and looked at his right leg.

"Damn…it got me deeper than I thought." He mused as green colored blood dripped out of it. He had gotten injured during the earlier encounter with Zetsu and now he was feeling the effects of the wound. It would take time for it to heal.

"I got careless. Ah damn it!" He shouted as he felt the pain in it. The wound was really starting to bother him.

"Hey mister…" A small voice said and he turned and saw appear the same raincoat wearing snail like child that had been following him earlier "Are you alright?" He asked him.

Nue allowed a small smile. "I'll be okay kiddo," He said to it. "You're one of the Slug Queens son's eh?"

"You don't look okay." The child said and stepped closer seeing his wound. "Want me to take you to the hospital? Tsunade can heal you I bet."

Nue shook his head. "She can't heal it. Not this kind of wound…" He said in response. The only way for a Mikura to restore its health was by consuming blood.

Human Blood.

Amefurikozo, the youngest of The Slug Queen Katsuyu's children had found a way to venture to the human world from the summon world he resided in and stay there for a time staying invisible and mingling in with the humans unaware of his presence. Not yet ready to be summoned for battle he mostly spent his time making mischief during rainy days. He had discovered Nue ever since seeing him and had been following him.

"Kid, you better get away from me." Nue said to him. "I'm not the right type of person to be around with others. Most people who do wind up dead." He said to the blue haired boy.

"But you're hurt, I can't just leave you."

"I'll be fine, I just need some sleep. That will help my wound heal faster if I get some rest." Nue said to him. "Go on, get out of here. I don't want you winding up on the list of people who died cause they got too close to me."

Amefurikozo slowly faded away from him a look of sadness in his eyes wanting to help him. Nue watched him disappear and closed his own eyes trying to sleep so that his wounds would heal.

Elsewhere…

"So he has truly returned…" The Akatsuki leader said engaged in a private meeting between himself, Konan, and Zetsu.

"Nue has returned my master. He now wears the colors of a traitor." Zetsu said recalling the event and Karas's appearance.

"If Nue is here than it might be best if I deal with him. I am resistant to his methods" Konan said voicing her opinion of the matter.

The Akatsuki leader didn't say anything. "Karas and Yurine, that's twice now they've stuck their noses into our business. I'm growing weary of their constant appearances. Nue is also a key part of our plans. The Traitor left Akatsuki, taking the key to fulfilling our plan with him. He is needed once all nine have been gathered in order to activate it. He cannot be killed or else all our plans will be ruined. Only he would be able to unlock it and allow us to gain true dominance."

"He's betrayed us, and he now hides posing as a human. He hides his true Mikura form." Zetsu said to him. "He's ashamed of the power that was given to him."

"Nue will face the reality of his fate sooner or later." The Leader responded as if it was a trifle matter. "Eventually the urge he is struggling to overcome will consume him and he will snap. Then we shall make our move and bring him back here and we will punish our former member for his treasonous actions." He said ominously.

"There is still much work to be done, Karas will be dealt with eventually. We must obtain the Amulet that contains Kyuubi and force Yurine to unlock it so we can seal it." He said to them. "The day is coming when we make our presence known and gain control of this world…" He then stood up. "We are the ones who are the future of this world. Behold it, that which has decayed into little more than a wretched corpse. The people of this world seem to have forgotten that it's a privilege to live and one they take for granted." He then looked at them and then at the empty spaces where the other members would be at.

"We shall be the ones to bring about true peace and reform this world in the new and glorious future that I envision."

At one of Orochimaru's bases…

Sasuke Uchiha was seated quietly in the simple room he had in the underground base. Replaying the events that had happened in his mind. He was a bit surprised to have seen him there. He thought he was dead after all these years.

"So Naruto, you are still alive. You still believe that you can save me. You're an even bigger fool than I thought if you still think that." He said coldly. "I want let anyone stop me…not you, Sakura, Kakashi, anyone from Konoha or even Shinigami himself from stopping me from avenging my clan!"

He thought of Naruto's new appearance and the powers he used that disposed of Orochimaru's subjects. Orochimaru it appeared had been fascinated with what had happened back there even with the death of all his Mikura. As if he was glad that he had killed them all.

Shortly after coming to him, Sasuke had learned one of the many things Orochimaru had been doing. He had been trying to create an army for the past multiple years. A unstoppable army. Those who he had experimented on and captured where changed against their will into mindless horrific beasts called The Mikura.

The success rate had been low as most had died during the process or only lasted a few days. Despite the multiple lives he had killed to create them, Orochimaru was still determined to create an unstoppable army.

The army mattered little to Sasuke, as he was only concerned with gaining the power he needed to avenge his clan. What he did didn't matter to him.

"Power…Power is all I need to defeat him." He said to himself. "Once I obtain the power needed to kill him I shall avenge my family and clan." He said and clenched a hand into a fist.

Nothing would stop him…

The door to his room opened and he sensed that it was time for him to test his prowess

Meanwhile…

A giant three tailed monstrosity let out a roar as it had submerged from the water and place it had dwelled at. The beast appeared turtle like but had shrimp like legs and claws. It glared at the two figures in front of it and roared again echoing across the area.

"The Three Tailed Giant Turtle." Deidara on his bird of clay said looking at it his arms folded. "Without a host you're little more than a primal animal and wild beast. So you're the one Sasori was suppose to get." He said and smirked.

"Tobi thinks he's not too happy to see us." His mask wearing companion said to him standing on the water. Indeed the Bijuu's one red eye was glaring harshly at them as if angry that they appeared.

"We got orders, we're to bring this demon in." Deidara reminded him.

The Giant Turtle roared and fired several balls at them from its mouth. The two moved out of the way of the attacks and assumed a position.

"Well then, it appears we have no choice then but to fight. I got a big bang just for you…" Deidara said with a grin and revealed the mouths on his hands. "Now!" He shouted and Tobi ran towards it with Super Speed as they prepared to do battle

At The Hokage's Office The seated Blond woman overlooked the details and results of their analysis.

"Interesting, I've never seen anything like it. Just how did he create something like this?" Tsunade the Fifth Hokage of Konoha said to herself as she examined the report of the strange creature that had been brought in.

"Hello Tsunade!" A voice said and she groaned and looked up and saw standing in the room with a lecherous smile on his face a white haired ninja in red.

"Jiriaya…you've come back." She said as he had been gone for quite some time.

Jiriaya The Toad Sannin snickered at his old teammate. "You think I'd stay away forever?"

"I wish…" She muttered under her breath. "What do you want? I got work to do and I don't need some lecher lurking about."

"This is my welcoming?" He asked and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm busy Jiriaya, ever since you swindled me into taking this stupid position and this damn paperwork. Not all of us have free time to go write dirty novels. Especially with-"

"Orochimaru working on creating a new force and Akatsuki having extracted Shukaku from the Kazekage." Jiriaya finished for her. She looked up at him a bit surprised that he knew. "You underestimate my spy network."

"Hmph so it looks like." She replied dryly "You've been gone for quite some time. Nearly Three Years, what do you plan on doing now that you've come back to Konoha? Besides peep on the Hot Springs?"

"Hmmm, well I've been thinking of taking a break for a while. Maybe work on my new novel while I'm here." He said with a grin and she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you're doing just don't try anything funny around me." She said in annoyance. Jiriaya nodded his head at her. "Haven't seen you ever since you left after Sasuke left."

"I've had a lot on my mind as of late. There was some stuff I needed to have done." He replied to her.

"I figured you left after cause of The Kid's death, I suspected it was hard on you." She said as she did not know, as Kakashi had sworn all those who had witnessed it to silence.

Jiriaya didn't say anything as he knew who she was talking about. She was talking about Naruto. The common belief was that he died of his injuries at the hands of Sasuke.

But that was far from the truth. The boy was alive, he was sure of it. Yurine, The Youkai Priestess had appeared in front of him and told him. He knew the boy was alive. The boy wasn't the type of person to give up and die, just like his father and mother. He had been taken by Yurine and was the new Karas.

He didn't know the full details but apparently the girl who he had thought of as just a myth and had expected her to be older and much more developed had wanted his aid. She had used his spy network to aid her in her and Karas's quest. He was the one who had informed her of Orochimaru's plotting in Grass. She was using him as a way to gain info.

He hadn't seen Naruto, not in three years and he had thought of the boy. The boy had grown much he sensed as his duty as Karas would give him great power, or so the old legends said.

But would it be enough? That was the question he asked himself. Karas's power maybe strong but who knows just how powerful Akatsuki was.

His thoughts to himself Jiriaya left the Hokage's office.

Elsewhere…

Sasuke was surrounded on all sides by several prisoners in a circle arena who all had a mad look in their eyes as they encircled him. Each had been experimented on with a different type of Cursed Seal on them having been driven insane and where believed to be failures and no longer of any use to him. They where to fight him.

He looked around a bored look on his face as if finding the scenario dull. He slowly reached towards the sword strapped to his side and started to pull it out.

That was all that was needed…

One charged him and he ducked under the attack and stabbed it in the chest and pulling the blade sent chakra into it and did a slash sending a wave of chakra at an enemy which killed him on contact.

Another lunged at him and he avoided the attack and kicked him in the head and doing hand symbols engulfed him in a stream of fire. Three charged him at once and doing more hand symbols took a deep breath and then fired a large fireball right at them which set them ablaze. The prisoners howled in pain and fury as they where on fire and where killed by him.

His Sharingan activated he easily read their movements and attacks. It was all to easy for him as he cut them down, these maggots where no challenge for him and he was doing them a favor by killing them.

A loud chirping sound was heard and activating the Chidori he thrusted it right into a target's head taking it off.

It was pointless, none of these could even stand a chance against him. It almost made him sick to his stomach at how pathetic it truly was. None of them even deserved to stand in the same room as him.

He did hand symbols and sending chakra into his sword summoned lightning from it and fired it at the remainders electrocuting the rest and killing them all.

With a flick he sheathed his Kusanagi and looked at the dead bodies a look of disgust on his face. Was this all that could be thrown at him? Did nothing give him a challenge anymore here in this blasted place?

He looked up at Orochimaru who was watching on with Kabuto and let out a sneer at him. As if daring him to fight him. Orochimaru watching on only cackled in amusement.

Exiting the room he returned to his quarters finding the whole thing pointless

Elsewhere…

Yurine's head shot up as if in realization and alarm. Sensing it, Naruto headed to the room she was at and saw her seated on the floor.

"What's wrong?" He asked her as he sensed something was wrong.

"Akatsuki has claimed another Bijuu. They now only need five more."

"What?" Naruto said in disbelief as he didn't think they would move this fast after he had killed one of their members barely two weeks ago.

"They now have four, almost half of them. They now only need The Two Tailed Cat, The Four Tailed Monkey, The Eight Tailed Ox, The Five Tailed Dolphin Horse, and The Kyuubi."

"Let me go stop them what their doing right now!" Naruto said to her. "I can free the bijuu and take them down." He said and turned to leave grabbing his Katana.

"No Naruto!" Yurine shouted at him standing up surprising him and made him stop as he rarely heard her raise her voice. "It's too dangerous. The one who subdued the Three Tailed Turtle just now is more powerful than you. He wants you to come get him as he's hoping you appear." She said to him. "If you face him you wouldn't stand a chance as you are.

"But I can't just stay here." He protested.

"If Akatsuki defeats you, they will get their hands on the Kyuubi amulet. If you go now, you will be defeated. We can't do anything now, as its too dangerous. He wants you to come after him so he can capture you. Although your power is strong it's not enough." She said to him.

"Damnit…" Naruto cursed. "What should I do then? I'm not strong enough to face them even after all I've done these past three years?"

"You must learn that some battles as of now can't be fought. There will come a time for you to face him. But that time isn't now. We must wait for it. If you fought him now you will die and there will be no hope for the world."

Naruto looked at her and slowly dropped the sheath. "Fine…I'll stay here." He said reluctantly

"I know its hard but trust me, there will come a time when you face him. Then will you have the power to defeat him and end his threat." Yurine said to him knowing that the foe was too dangerous right now.

Meanwhile…

"Well that was simple enough." Deidara said as they had defeated the Three Tailed Turtle Beast and where subduing it to be taken to be extracted.

"Hey! Tobi did all the work!" His masked teammate protested. "It was Tobi's special jutsu that knocked it out!"

"Oh shut up." Deidara responded. "The sooner we get back to the base and extract it the better. Let's get going."

"Okay let's take off!" Tobi said and hopped on the bird and Deidara's back much to his annoyance.

A scream went into the air as the blond had thrown the buffoon off him and into the water. Scoffing Deidara went to take the unconscious beast to the base and Tobi swam after him trying to catch up.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.


End file.
